In The Eyes of Dragons
by ShadowDanseur
Summary: She will return to him broken and defeated ... and he will go mad.
1. It is coming

**_Author's Note: Alright, my first RK fic in awhile! I'm very excited to write this, but let me just give everyone a heads up: this story is intended to be very dark. The setting is somewhat AU, although I won't explain just how yet. I don't wanna give anything away. As always, all comments and reviews are appreciated!_**

**_Spoilers: None_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except the ones you don't recognize. RK does not belong to me (sad!)._**

* * *

**Chapter One:**

_the side of me that no one sees  
is warring to be free  
to release the wraiths that scream in my soul  
dripping acid daggers  
_

In the darkest hour of the night, two men stood alone on a deserted street. Even now, when even the rats of Tokyo seemed to sleep, they were cautious. Pressed against the wall and hidden in shadows, they stared at a door and spoke in hushed tones.

"She is there?" The first man asked

"Yes," his counterpart said in a cool voice, "And he as well."

The first man, the taller and more sinister of the two, held a long breath before answering. His eyes were trained on the door, his thoughts on the occupants hidden behind its wooden expanse. He could feel the itch of anticipation gnawing at him and trying to drive him forward. He had already waited so long, already put so much work and effort into his plan … no matter how badly he wanted to, he would not go inside. He would not ruin everything he'd spent so much time working on. He would be patient because he had to.

The man beside him lit a cigarette, the glowing cherry at the end the only color in the black stillness.

"His skill is undiminished," The other man said in a puff of smoke

"You have not seen his skill," The taller man said evenly, "Not yet."

A pause. Then, "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"Now is not the time for doubt, Nobu."

The tall man's voice was even and controlled, but the man called Nobu did not miss his warning. He took another long drag from his cigarette, studying the man next to him through his peripheral vision.

"When shall I begin?" Nobu asked

"Soon," Came the reply, "Tomorrow, perhaps. Continue as you have been: be cautious, and do not be seen. I will send word when everything is in place."

Nobu bowed slightly to the other man before disappearing, silent and wraith-like, into a side street.

The nameless man remained only seconds longer, hateful eyes taking in the door one last time.

_Soon,_ a voice inside him whispered, _soon you will step out that door a different man, and I will be waiting._

He left without a backward glance.

* * *

Dawn had barely broken over the horizon when she awoke. She could not say what had woken her so early, or why her sleep had been plagued by nightmares; she dismissed both as unimportant events and stretched. The morning was still quiet, a rare treat that she rather enjoyed.

She rose and began to dress, the last vestiges of sleep falling away as she secured her ribbon in her hair. A long time had passed since she'd last been awake this early; the dojo was still and quiet around her.

Kaoru slid open the shoji door and padded softly out of her room. An easy smile lit her face as she passed Yahiko's room, where he was snoring rather loudly. She made her way down the hall and emerged noiselessly into the unfolding daylight. The sunlight was already warm and inviting, full of promise for a beautiful day. She closed her eyes momentarily, basking in the gift of a new day.

"You are up early, Kaoru - dono."

His voice did not startle her.

"I could say the same to you, Kenshin," She said evenly, turning to gaze at him

His back rested against the wooden beam behind him, and he had one leg pulled up to his chest. He looked alert, but underneath that she could see the truth. He had not slept the night before; in fact, she doubted that he'd even moved from the spot he occupied now. Lately Kenshin seemed a bit more distracted, even distant, than he normally was. She wondered if it was because of the note; she longed to ask him if that was what bothered him but seemed somehow to lack the words.

From his seat on the porch, Kenshin watched her closely. He could see the strain of a sleepless night written on her delicate features and wondered why sleep had evaded her.

Several moments passed in this manner, each scrutinizing the other from their respective spots.

Kaoru finally sighed and looked away, fixing her gaze on the leaves of a nearby tree. She wondered how much longer he was going to do this, then shook her head almost imperceptibly. He would continue on like this until there was no longer any danger. He would sit out here, standing guard, until he was certain that they were safe. No matter how she pleaded with him to rest, he would not relent.

"Another uneventful night?" She asked softly

He made no answer, only watched her with those familiar violet eyes.

"Just let it go, Kenshin," She said for what felt like the millionth time that week, "Nothing's going to happen."

"I hope you are right, Kaoru - dono," He finally responded

He refrained from telling her that she was wrong. Although no one had tired to attack during the night, Kenshin knew that someone had been outside that door. Someone had been there, watching, waiting. Kenshin had sensed the presence and stayed rooted to his spot. He too would watch, and wait.

Kaoru's eyes were on him again, searching his face for a truth she couldn't seem to find. He raised his eyes to meet hers in an intense gaze. She wanted to gasp but couldn't find the air. His violet eyes churned with strands of gold, shining in a way she'd never seen before.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly

"What?" She replied, pulled from her thoughts

"You had a strange look on your face."

"I was just thinking," She responded, then smiled, "At any rate, the night is over. Why don't you come inside now?"

She moved toward him, then held out a hand to help him up. An odd gesture, he thought, since they both knew he needed no help standing. For a moment he was inclined to ignore the gesture, but something urged him not to. Slowly, he laid his hand in hers, violet eyes lingering on their connection.

In one fluid motion, Kaoru helped pull Kenshin to his feet. She wondered briefly at how much power could be hidden in such a deceiving manner; Kenshin certainly did not look like the manslayer of legend. Her eyes drifted downward, to the hand that was still in hers. His hands were rough, no doubt from the years of wielding a sword. Such rough hands, yet capable of giving such kindness …

"You are blushing, Kaoru - dono."

Her head shot up in embarrassment, the blush she had not been aware of deepening.

"I'm not … I just …," She stuttered, "Sorry. I think I must be a little tired still."

Kenshin gave her a small smile and pulled his hand away from hers. Not five breaths later a barely coherent Yahiko stumbled his way out onto the porch.

"Morning, Kenshin," He greeted, "Morning, busu."

"Morning."

Kenshin watched Yahiko's eyes go wide in surprise. Apparently a simple good morning was not the response the young boy had expected from her.

"Are you feeling alright, Kaoru?" Yahiko queried, one eyebrow raised

"I feel fine," She said easily

"Did I … interrupt something?" He asked again

"Of course not."

She smiled, but the inflection of her tone caught Kenshin's attention. He watched her through a veil of bangs, studying her expression. Was she … upset? No, that wasn't the right word. Unnerved seemed to describe it better.

"OI, Kenshin!" Sano's loud voice suddenly boomed, "Quit playing sentry and make breakfast! I'm starving."

Kenshin shook his head and smiled. Sano wasn't a morning person; actually, the red head was surprised he was awake at such an early hour. Once he thought about it, he was surprised that any of them were awake this early. Normally the few hours after dawn were his alone, his to ponder the questions of his heart while he went about his duties. What was it that had woken them all so early this morning?

Yahiko turned and headed back toward the kitchen, already anticipating the thought of food. Kenshin started after him, only to stop a few steps short of the door when he realized that Kaoru was not following them. He half turned back to her, the question he was about to ask dying on his lips when he saw the intense stare she was leveling at him.

"Kaoru - dono?" He queried

"I know something's wrong, Kenshin," She said quietly but evenly, "I can feel it. I can see it in your eyes. What are you thinking?"

Her question caught him off guard; he did not know how to answer, so he simply remained quiet. Even if he had been able to form an answer, he wasn't sure that he would have given it to her anyway. The dark thoughts that danced around in his head were not fit for one as innocent as she.

"I was going to ask what you wanted for breakfast," He said then, smiling

Her eyes narrowed and she glared at him.

"If you're not going to tell me, Kenshin, then don't - but don't resort to lies."

She bustled past him and down the hallway, frustration and worry eating at her. Something in Kenshin had changed, something was different, and she was unsure if she should be worried. Ever since the day that damn note had been nailed to the courtyard door Kenshin had become somber and pensive; that was the day he'd stopped sleeping and started guarding the door. _Only a week ago,_ she mused to herself, _and already so much has changed._

Her mind wandered back to that day. They had been headed to the Akabeko, the four of them, and when Kaoru had pulled open the big door she'd been surprised to see a piece of paper nailed to it. Curious, she'd ripped it from the nail and simply stared at the cryptic message.

_**It is coming**_.

Confused, she'd turned wide eyes to Kenshin and simply handed him the paper. She'd watched as if in a haze as he read and then reread it, his eyes slowly narrowing into cat like slits.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sano had demanded

"Nothing good," Kenshin had replied tersely

Kaoru pushed the memory out of the forefront of her mind as she joined Sano and Yahiko in the kitchen. She did not look up at the sound of Kenshin's footsteps, choosing instead to set out the bowls and chopsticks for everyone.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, perhaps one of the quietest meals they'd shared in their time together. Kenshin felt a strange twinge in the pit of his stomach as he glanced at the faces of the people surrounding him. They were a strange group, he knew, and an unlikely family, but it seemed to work for them. An old emotion began to blossom in his stomach then, the same one that he had been trying to quell for days now. Anger seeped into his blood as he thought about someone threatening the people he had come to think of as family; anger made him want to hunt the perpetrator down like a ravenous beast would its next prey.

Never mind that they didn't know who the perpetrator was, or what exactly they were after.

Here the anger gave way to frustration. He had no idea what was being planned or by whom, but he swore to himself that he would be ready. In the event that you could not predict your enemies next move, you simply had to prepare yourself for anything. So each night he took up post on the porch and waited, ready. The people within these walls would be safe - he would make sure of it.

Kaoru gasped; that sound coupled with what he swore was the sound of something breaking pulled his attention back to the world outside his thoughts. Kaoru's azure eyes were wide in - was it surprise, or shock? - and Yahiko was simply staring at him.

"Kenshin," Kaoru said quietly in her lilting voice

Confused, he followed her gaze down until he was looking at his left hand. Where once he had been holding a glass, he now saw only shards. So concentrated had he been on his anger that he'd squeezed the glass so hard it had shattered in his hand, leaving behind only the piece that was now jutting out of his palm.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru - dono," He began, rising from his spot, "I wasn't paying attention. I'll get you a new one as soon as I can."

Kaoru made no reply, merely stood and made her way over to him as he began picking up the pieces of the shattered pottery. His movements were effectively stilled, however, when she reached out and latched one small hand around the wrist of his injured hand.

"Yahiko, will you clean this up please?" She asked, already pulling Kenshin in the direction of her room

Yahiko, who still seemed at a loss for words, merely nodded and rose to do as she asked.

For his part, Kenshin merely followed her silently to her room. She slid open the door and pulled him in, pushing him gently into a sitting position on her floor. She stepped around him and pulled out a box of bandages and ointments from a drawer, then came to sit before him. Wordlessly, she took his hand and pulled it gently to her.

"I'll try to be gentle," She said quietly

He concentrated on the nerve endings that seemed to dance where she touched his skin and wondered how she could be anything but gentle. He watched as she patted the blood from the area around the glass shard, her ministrations slow and careful. His eyes traveled from his wound up her arm, his gaze coming to rest on her face.

Strange thoughts accosted him then, and though he tried they refused to be ignored. He thought about how smooth the skin of her hands felt against the callousness of his own as they moved deftly about their task. Such delicate hands, so pure and unstained.

Kaoru, aware of the way he was watching her, lifted her gaze to meet his. She felt instantly breathless, as if the room simply did not have enough oxygen to support her. His gaze was intense, smoldering even, and he did not look away when she met his eyes. Tendrils of amber warred and danced with the usual violet of his eyes, swirling together to make his eyes the palest she had seen them. His eyes burned into her own; even if she had wanted to look away, she wasn't sure that she would have been able to.

She pulled the shard from his hand in one clean movement, her eyes never leaving his. He didn't so much as flinch. Somewhere within in her she found the will to pull her eyes away from his and look down at his hand. Despite the blood, the cut did not look as deep as she had originally feared. She piled the cloth over the open wound and applied pressure to stop the bleeding.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was low and flowing; she fought back a shiver.

"I'm more worried about your hand than I am the cup, Kenshin."

He watched her discard the bloodied cloth and pull fresh bandages out of the box. She folded a small piece of cloth into squares and then held it against the wound while slowly wrapping a bandage around it. Three, four, five times she wrapped it around his hand, holding it snug while she tied a knot with the remaining material. Finally, she released her hold on his wrist and he flexed his hand, testing it.

"Thank you … Kaoru."

He couldn't say what possessed him to drop the honorific, but the effect was immediate. A small blush that mimicked the one he'd seen earlier tinted her ivory skin a pale rose color, the flush deepening the blue of her eyes.

"You're welcome, Kenshin," She nearly whispered

The air in the room had become electric, charged with the tension that radiated between them …

"Kenshin!"

Kenshin's head whipped up and toward the door at the sound of Sano's voice. Loud footsteps pounded their way toward them, the sound followed closely by Sano as he barreled into the room with Yahiko in tow.

The look in the other man's eyes made Kaoru want to flinch, but she ignored the urge.

"Sano, what …" Kenshin began

He let the sentence hang. Clutched tightly in Sano's hand was a familiar looking piece of paper; Kenshin felt the anger surge inside him once again and set his jaw.

"Where did you find that?" He ground out, standing

"Yahiko found it, but …"

"Where?"

Even from where she sat Kaoru could tell that Yahiko was afraid to answer the question; she felt a cloud of dread sink her stomach.

"Where?" Kenshin repeated

"…Tree," Yahiko finally managed, "It was nailed to the tree by the clothes line."

Fierce, rabid anger bit at his insides with steel teeth. Nailed to a tree … inside the grounds? Someone had managed to get inside the grounds without him knowing? How? When?

"Give me the paper," Kenshin said coolly, extending his uninjured hand

"Listen to me very carefully, Kenshin," Sano began, holding the paper away from him, "Don't lose your head when you read this."

His eyes narrowed dangerously at Sano. Kaoru, who had remained seated on the floor next to where he stood, could almost feel the tension rolling off of him in waves. She watched Sano hold the paper out to him; she saw him take it, and saw the movement of his eyes as he read it.

Kenshin went utterly, perfectly, deathly still. The words on the paper stifled the breath in his lungs. They jeered at him, screaming their taunts in the perfect silence of the room.

_**Hers will be a fate worse than death.**_


	2. The Beast, Unleashed

**_Author's Note: Alright, chapter two! Believe it or not, I kinda had a hard time with this chapter. I'm still not sure I like it very much, and I decided something as I did: I suck at writing fight scenes! Sigh It just isn't one of my strong points. Anyway, let me know what you think of this chapter; I spent a lot of time on it. Also, thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! I appreciate your input! Also, I don't think I mentioned it in the last chapter, but this story takes place after Kenshin goes to Kyoto to fight Shishio. There's brief mention of it in this chapter and I didn't want anyone to be confused._**

**_Spoilers: None_**

**_Disclaimer: Not mine._**

* * *

**_Chapter Two:_**

_White hot anger  
blinding rage  
it's all the same thing -_

Nothing moved.

No one spoke.

In the perfect silence of the room, Kenshin could hear his heartbeat thrumming against his chest.

The hand that held the offending piece of paper curled in on itself slowly, crumpling the paper beneath it. His eyes did not leave the spot where the words had been, mocking him only moments before. Anger, swift and deadly as a sword, ripped through his chest with an almost audible sound. The tension and rage he'd felt brewing and been fighting back over the last week crashed around him like waves on an angry ocean; he could feel the walls he'd spent the last eleven years making shatter under the weight.

"What …What does it say?"

The words were whispered, yet they screamed inside his head. Slowly, deliberately, he turned his head and his gaze to Kaoru, who was still kneeling on the floor near his right leg. He watched her eyes go wide in surprise, no doubt at the expression on his face.

For the first time since she had known him, Kaoru wanted to shiver under the steely gaze of the wanderer. The violet, although not gone completely, had receded to the outer edges of his eyes; his mouth was set in a firm, grim line that only deepened the intensity. Kenshin looked positively … dangerous.

"Nothing important," He said icily, then turned to Sano, "Sano, we are going …"

"Kenshin."

Her voice, calm and serious despite the confusion and worry he saw on her features, stopped him. He flicked his eyes to her once more, only to be met with a determined stare.

"Let me see the paper," She said, rising to her feet and holding out a hand

His answer garnered a look of surprise from everyone but Sano.

"No."

"I said, let me see the paper," She said more firmly, blue eyes narrowing, "I have a right to see what it says."

"I already told you …"

"Now," She commanded, interrupting him

For the span of several long moments they merely glared at each other, neither willing to give in. Kaoru's stomach clenched in fear at his reaction; his refusal to let her see it could only mean that it had something to do with her. Why else would he try and keep it from her?

The hand of his that held the balled up paper moved almost imperceptibly, but she caught the movement and snatched it from his hand. Without knowing that she was holding her breath, Kaoru unfolded it and read.

**_Hers will be a fate worse than death._**

This time she could not bite back the shiver that ran down her spine. Her eyes were riveted to the writing, transcribed so neatly onto the nearly perfect white paper. There was no doubt in her mind now that whoever was targeting them was after her; Kaoru was the only female in the dojo. Strangely, she seemed to be torn between two reactions, the first of which was obviously fear. Who would want to harm her, and whatever for? The other part of her, however, felt relieved. At least she knew that they weren't after her family. Family ….

The brush of fingertips at her elbow made her look away from the words on the paper. Unseen, Kenshin had moved to her side and was now standing barely inches from her, his hand on her elbow. The intensity in his gaze was not gone, yet seemed to have softened somehow. His eyes did not leave her face.

"Nothing is going to happen. I promise you, Kaoru, no one will touch you."

The sound of her first name, again without the honorific, made the breath hitch in her throat. She could see the truth of his statement reflected in the now almost amber depths of his eyes.

"I believe you," She breathed

"Good," He said with a nod

Kenshin turned his eyes back to Sano but left his hand on her elbow. The contact seemed to ground him somehow, but he refused to mull over it at the moment. Now was not the time.

"Sano, we're going to make a sweep of the grounds. I want to know how he got in here without my knowing. Starting now, we're on twenty four hour guard. No one leaves this dojo, understood?"

"But …" Kaoru began to protest

A swift and narrow glare from Kenshin halted the protest on her lips. His voice low, eyes glittering dangerously, Kenshin felt her elbow jostle slightly with a shiver at his next words.

"No one touches you," He muttered, "No one."

* * *

The wind whispering through the trees was the only sound that permeated the air. Despite the darkness outside, the room in which Nobu stood was bathed in perfect white lighting. His small, hard mouth turned upwards in a grin as he surveyed the facilities around him; his palms were nearly sweating with the anticipation of what was to come.

"Are you impressed, Nobu?" A dead voice asked from behind him

Nobu turned beady black eyes to the man he considered as his savior. A twisted smile split his face from ear to ear, revealing crooked and broken teeth .

"It is everything you said it would be," He acknowledged, "It's perfect."

The tall man merely nodded and looked from his accomplice to the center of the room. He felt satisfied despite himself, imagining the scenes that would soon inhabit the room. The building itself had been easy to come by: he'd won it in a game of dice from a man much like himself, whom he was certain had simply taken the property deed from a man he'd had murdered. The installation of the equipment was the only thing that had set them back; the several pounds of leather and chains had taken forever to bind together, and proven exceptionally heavy to transport.

The inconvenience was worth it, he told himself, everything is coming together perfectly.

"You have delivered the next message?" He asked

Nobu nodded in affirmation, eyes still riveted to the contraption that dangled in the center of the room.

"It was much easier than we anticipated," He responded

The taller man narrowed his eyes. "He must have been distracted. Very good, Nobu; that is more than I had hoped for."

Surprised at the compliment, Nobu gave a low bow in the direction of the other man. This was his only purpose in life: to do as the savior commanded, until the day he died. Nothing could have made him happier.

"How would you like it done?" Nobu asked, nasally voice dripping with sickening excitement

The other man, the savior, did not answer immediately. Several scenes played themselves out in his mind; he had to choose carefully. Only the situation that would cause the most pain was the right one, but how to decide? The easiest decision, of course, would be to have Nobu sneak in and steal away their prey, but he was uncertain what effect it would have. Everything had to play out exactly as he imagined it, or all their planning and dedication would go to waste.

"Take our best men with you," He answered then, "And be sure that Daichi and Masaru are among them."

Nobu tried to hide his surprise at the answer.

"As you wish," He retorted, "Shall we leave now?"

How badly he wanted to respond in the affirmative! Instead, he bit down on his tongue sharply, steeling his resolve. They were so close … only a little bit longer. They only had to hold back a little while longer and wait for the time to be ripe.

_Can you even imagine what we have in store for you, Battousai?_ The little voice in his mind whispered, _soon, your nightmares will seem like child's play in comparison to the reality that awaits you_.

His violent eyes fixed on the massive chains protruding from both the ceiling and the floor; he took in the leather and spikes sharpened to dangerous points and felt the bitter mirth bubbling inside him.

_I will destroy you, Battousai, without so much as touching you._

* * *

Kaoru was unsettled that night as she lay on her futon.

So many thoughts were vying for her attention, so many worries were plaguing her heart. Why was this unknown person trying to harm her? What could she have possibly done to them?

Somehow even those questions seemed to pale in comparison to the more persistent one that was invading her thoughts even then; what in the world had happened to Kenshin?

Three days had passed in the strangest manner Kaoru had ever experienced. A positively feral Kenshin prowled the dojo grounds with single minded determination. She could practically see the tension that bound his muscles together; even his tone of voice was clipped and direct. Every trace of the sweet tempered rurouni she had come to know seemed to have disappeared like smoke in the wind. Kenshin had become angry, fierce and dangerous.

Even with all these things taken into consideration, Kaoru still did not fear him. Underneath the anger she could sense the worry that ate at him. When he had said that no one would touch her, he'd meant it to the very core.

Unwanted images assaulted her mind then, refusing her peace. She pictured Kenshin standing in a darkened street corner, sword unsheathed and dripping with blood. Was this what Battousai had looked like all those years ago? Muscles taut, gaze so intense that he could very nearly start fires? She mulled over the picture in her mind, focusing on what she imagined his eyes would have looked like. The spark of an unknown emotion made her insides jump; as soon as she tried to focus on the feeling, however, it fled.

Kenshin, who was seated cross legged outside the door to her room, heard her stir. He listened closely, but her movements had stilled. He relaxed, although just barely. Sano was posted in the spot he had previously occupied on the porch, just as he had been for the last few days. The arrival of the second note had only served to cement the fear Kenshin had felt growing in his stomach; for whatever reason, this person was after Kaoru.

_Kaoru_. Her name danced across his mind like leaves scattered on a breeze. A very strange sensation overtook him then, a sensation that he'd been trying to name ever since he'd said goodbye to her that night among the fireflies. For a long while he'd thought of it as merely affection, but still it nagged at him. What else could it be? He asked himself. He did not like not knowing; for just a moment, when the other occupants of the dojo were silent and unaware, Kenshin let his mind wander. He thought of Kaoru's luminescent blue eyes, staring up at him with a fear that clenched his heart; he thought of how smooth the skin of her hand felt against his when they touched.

_Stop it_, he chided himself. _She is just an innocent young girl. She deserves to be safe and protected._ He tried to convince himself that that was the extent of it, but something nagged at him. Perhaps it was the easy, intimate way her name had slipped from his tongue, or the way just the touch of her skin seemed to anchor him to this world …

Kaoru could sense his presence, silent and brooding, just outside her door. He had stood guard at her door every night, despite the exhaustion she could see gnawing at him. He was stoic in his charge, a fact that provided her with great courage.

Although she would question her motives later (and her good sense), Kaoru rose quietly from her futon. She did not consider that she was dressed only in her night yukata, long ebony hair in a braid; she did not consider what Kenshin's reaction would be. Single mindedly she padded silently to her door, holding her breath and sliding the door open easily.

He listened in curiosity as she made her way toward him. The sun had long since set; it had to be deep into the night by now. What on earth would drag her from her warm bed at such an hour?

The door slid open next to him. He turned his eyes toward the spot where he knew she would be standing, but whatever he had been about to say died on his lips when he saw her.

Never before had he seen Kaoru in such a state. Although her night yukata was pulled firmly closed, it still afforded him a more intimate view than he'd ever imagined. Several long tendrils of midnight hair had escaped her braid and hung down to frame her face, the ebony tresses only highlighting the unmarred expanse of milky skin.

Kenshin averted his gaze quickly, unsure of what his expression was giving away. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched her move slowly, almost uncertainly to sit beside him. He wanted to say something, but she smelled of jasmine and his mind assaulted him with images that he hastily tried to push away.

"Is everything alright?"

His voice was barely above a whisper; he feared that if he spoke any louder his voice would shake and betray the things he was trying not to feel.

"I can't sleep," She responded, her voice also a whisper, "And I just wanted to be near you for a minute."

Kenshin almost didn't hear the second half of her answer. Against his wishes, his stomach seemed to drop in a flurry of surprise. She wanted to be near … him? The concept seemed so alien to him that he almost couldn't wrap his mind around it. She wanted to be near him even now, when he was silent and brooding and angry?

"Why?"

The question had slipped unchecked from his lips in the surprise of the moment. He forgot his vow not to look at her and locked gazes with her, instantly wishing that he could take it back.

"I like to be near you," She murmured, blushing again and looking down

_I like to be near you too_, he said inwardly. He thought about saying it aloud, but chose not to at the last minute. Even if it was the truth, he did not know what it really meant and therefore held his tongue. He was about to look away from her again when she asked her next question, a question that nearly made his heart stop.

"Why would someone want to hurt me?"

The breath left his body in a whoosh of air. She was looking at him so innocently, beautiful blue eyes shining at him so trustingly, that he wasn't sure he could answer. Why would someone want to hurt Kaoru? She had such a big heart and tried so hard to do so much for the people in her life … how could he explain it?

"There are people in this world, Kaoru, evil people who will do anything they can to hurt others. They have no regard for human life; they do not care about you as a person, only as a target. Some people - like Shishio - are out to get revenge for the wrongs they were dealt. Others, like myself when I was a hitokiri, are simply following orders and believe that what they are doing is right. Not everyone has your pure heart."

Spontaneously, Kaoru's hand snaked out and came to rest against his cheek. The contact startled him and his amber eyes went wide in shock. The skin near his scar tingled where her fingers touched. She had leaned forward so that their faces were only mere inches apart, azure eyes boring into amber ones. He could not have moved even if he'd wanted to.

"I know that look, Kenshin," She said tenderly, "Do not for one minute think that you are like those people. You are the voice for the weak when they think they have none; you fight for the lives of the people that cannot fight for their own. Never be ashamed of that."

"It hasn't always been like that," He countered, trying not to think of her hand on his face, "You would feel differently if you had known me as Battousai."

Kaoru felt suddenly sad at his words. Was it really possible that he did not know? She had never feared the rurouni, just as she did not fear the Battousai that she was certain was taking him over. No matter how dark his personality became, no matter how difficult the path he chose, she knew him to his very soul. She had seen the person illuminated inside, and she would not let him forget it.

"I will never feel differently, Kenshin."

Her voice was soft and yet firm. Her cerulean eyes sparked with the determination of her words, any doubt or meekness gone from her expression. How could he possibly think that her opinion was so malleable?

"This intensity, this fierceness that you have shown over the last few days does not scare me, Kenshin. No matter how angry or cold or distant you become, I know the truth. You will never hurt me, or the family we've built. Nothing will change that."

Her words reverberated in his mind: _the family we've built_. All the feelings he'd felt and been unable to name ever since that night he'd left Tokyo came storming down on him like a typhoon. The family they had built, together, almost by pure accident. The truth was that he liked being near her because she put his soul at ease; she made his heart feel whole again. He had fought so hard to suppress it, to deny that he felt that way because he could see the obstacles so clearly in front of him. She was so young and pure, he so old and tainted with the blood of others …

"You don't know what that means to me, Kaoru," He murmured, his voice cracking on her name

Her eyes were still locked on his, and she watched as the effect of her words took hold. His expression, pensive and withdrawn just moments before, softened immensely. The hard lines of his face seemed to smooth out, and for just a moment he looked like the carefree rurouni again. She couldn't help it - she smiled.

The air between them seemed to change suddenly, and she watched without breathing as he leaned toward her, the gap between their faces closing. Her heart leapt in anticipation of what was to come, and though she wanted to close her eyes she found that she couldn't. Kaoru was drawn into the swirling amber depths of Kenshin's eyes; they watched her face closely for any sign of hesitation.

She could feel his warm breath on her lips as he pulled closer; her stomach fluttered wildly.

The resounding_ thud_ of something very large hitting wood split the night.

Almost in sync, Kaoru's hand fell away from Kenshin's cheek as they both looked in the direction of the courtyard door.

Kenshin was on his feet almost at once and headed for the porch. Kaoru was only seconds behind him when she heard Sano's loud voice booming through the dojo.

"It's about time you showed your face, you coward!"

She rushed head long into the night. Behind her, she could hear Yahiko stumbling out of bed and headed in their direction.

Even in the darkness, Kaoru could clearly make out the forms of at least six men. In front of her, she could tell from Kenshin's posture that he too had summed up their odds.

"Coward is such a strong word."

The voice belonged to the man who stood in the center of the semi-circle of men. Although his face was hidden, the sound of his voice filled her with a sense of dread. For whatever reason, this was the man who had been taunting them these long days past.

"What do you want?" Kenshin asked plainly, one hand on the hilt of his sword

"I thought we made that clear. I have come for the girl."

Yahiko had come to stand next to her just behind Kenshin, and she heard a derisive snort come from him at the words.

"As if we'd just give her up!" He hollered

"Silence, Yahiko."

The reprimand had come from Kenshin, who was intent on studying the group of people before him. Sano was standing and poised to strike not three feet from him; from the looks of it, even he had been surprised by their visitors. _I should have heard them_, Kenshin chided himself,_ I should have known_.

"We are not here to fight you," The intruder said, aiming his comment at Sano, "If you give her to us, we'll leave you in peace."

"Kaoru is not leaving this dojo," Kenshin managed to growl between tightly clenched teeth

"Ah. He said you'd say that," The other man answered, "It's too bad, really."

"He who?" Sano demanded, "Who are you working for?"

"I have had enough talk for one night, and I am tired. If you will not give the girl to us, then we will just have to take her!"

Simultaneously, the two men on either end of the half circle stepped out. As soon as they moved, Kenshin was crouched in a fighting stance, his hand ready on his sword. His nerve endings came alive then and he was aware of even the smallest of details. His muscles were taut and ready for the fight he'd spent the last several days anticipating.

"Do not move," He instructed at Kaoru, "Fight only if you have to. Yahiko, don't leave her side."

Yahiko nodded even though he was certain that Kenshin couldn't see him.

On a silent command, their attackers launched into action. Two men charged Kenshin at once, their swords drawn and aimed at his torso. The man on the left was slightly heavier and therefore slower; Kenshin saw him swing the blade wide as if to bring it down on his neck on an arc. The clash of steel upon steel rang out in the warm air as he parried the strike; without a seconds hesitation he swung to the side and knocked away the direct stab of the other man.

The heat of battle was upon him now; he was only dimly aware of Sano's hollered taunts as he beat his attackers back with his fists. Kenshin parried and feinted several times, knocking first the larger man and then the other unconscious with the reverse side of his blade. He barely had time to catch his breath before the rest of the shadow assassins were set upon him; he twisted and jumped and dove his way through the foray, his sword almost whistling through the air as he swung it this way and that.

One, two, three strikes later and Kenshin was left standing in the middle of a pile of unconscious men; he turned his attention to Sano just in time to see his friend land a punch square in the face of the last man standing.

"Kenshin!"

That sound, that voice, so full of fear …

"You are truly a wonder to watch in action, Battousai."

The man's voice, so leering and insipid, made his blood boil. He fought to maintain control as he looked on, assessing the nightmare of a situation before him. The man who spoke and seemed to be the leader of the group was sneering at him, the putrid glee evident on his face. Clutched in one arm and held tightly to his chest, a long sword held to her neck, was none other than Kaoru.

In the blur of action, Kenshin had not seen the man that snuck around behind him as soon as he stepped out to face the first opponent. He glanced around for Yahiko, a small amount of relief comforting him when he saw the young boy smashed but breathing against the wall.

"Let Jou-chan go!" Sano demanded

"How touching," Her captor taunted

"You'll never make it off these grounds," Kenshin warned

"Oh, I'm much more prepared than you give me credit for. Daichi! Masaru!"

Two of the most ill matched men Kenshin had ever seen filtered in from behind the busted courtyard door. One man was burly, with arms the size of small tree trunks and carrying a very large scythe; the other was taller than Kenshin, but much skinnier. He was clutching a mace in one hand and a long, slender sword in the other.

"In the event that you were able to defeat my men before I could get away, I brought a surprise. I'm sure you'll find that Daichi and Masaru are quite competent, even against a skill such as yours."

Kenshin narrowed his amber eyes until they weren't much more than slits. He took an offensive step forward, his resolve cementing itself in his veins.

"Ah!" Nobu exclaimed, eyes going wide in pleasure, "You smell delicious, my pet!"

Kaoru felt frozen to the spot. She felt the man's nose come in contact with the skin just in front of her ear as he turned his face toward her; she felt revulsion rise in her throat.

"Such smooth skin," He said in a softer voice

Kenshin snarled, the sound carrying across the gap that spanned the area between them.

The next several seconds happened in slow motion for Kaoru. Unable to move, a sword pressed against her throat and her stomach contracting with a mixture of fear and disgust, she could only close her eyes.

"Mm, have you tasted her yet, Battousai?"

Kenshin could almost hear the resounding _crack_ of the very last wall standing between himself and the darker Battousai that he had locked away. He could feel no remorse as the scene unfolded before him; instead, the redhead welcomed the twisted, torrid side of himself without a second thought.

A tear slipped down Kaoru's cheek as her captor pushed his tongue against the side of her face and slowly, painstakingly slowly, dragged his tongue up the side of her cheek.

"So sweet …"

"I'll have your head for this!" Kenshin erupted then, his body shaking with rage, "I will hunt you down and bathe my sword in your blood!"

"Such jealousy, Battousai. No matter; we look forward to your arrival. Come, my pet; there is someone who would very much like to meet you."

Kaoru opened her eyes as she was dragged backward, her gaze finding and locking on to Kenshin. His eyes were illuminated with a burning hatred that she felt could scorch her even from such a distance. Her captor had called him Battousai, and Battousai he surely was; he had vowed to kill this man, and she feared that he would.

The strange men advanced on Kenshin, blocking him from her sight as she struggled to break free. The sword cut her as she wriggled, but she ignored the warm fluid that trickled down her neck.

"Kenshin!" She screamed, terrified and struggling

"Kaoru!" He bellowed

The sound of his voice, tortured and ferocious, echoed in her mind long after he was gone from her sight.


	3. Seperate Battles

**_Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! I appreciate your input. Here we are with chapter three, and I just wanted to make a few things clear before you continue. First, this is where the AU really starts to come into play. You'll see what I mean as you read. Second, I really hope that this chapter isn't too dark for some people. While I did give you fair warning, I promise that it will all turn out okay. Please give this story a chance. _**

**_Spoilers: None._**

**_Disclaimer: The characters you recognize from the manga/anime are not mine._**

* * *

**_Chapter Three:_**

_Bloody swords and broken knives  
litter the path behind me  
dying moans and unmoving eyes  
haunt me inside my mind  
_

The scent of blood, metallic and salty, filled his nose. Such a familiar smell, absent for so long; he felt it invade his senses, threatening to take him over. He remembered this …

"Kenshin!"

He did not tear his eyes away from his prey. The larger of the two men - Daichi, was it? - stood a few feet in front of him, swinging his scythe in a large arc as he watched him. Not ten feet from where he stood the other man, Masaru, was silent and unmoving on the ground.

"Kenshin!"

Sano's voice fell on dead ears. Kenshin's trim body was covered in a sheen of sweat; every muscle was humming with the force of his fury, ready to spring him into action. Nothing mattered, save for the burly man that stood between him and the door. All he needed to do was dispose of this man, and then he would be hot on Kaoru's trail. They couldn't be far; he would catch up to them, and when he did …

_The streets will run with blood_, he promised himself.

Without so much as a sound, Kenshin propelled himself forward. Straight ahead he charged, only to dodge left at the last moment. Daichi was quicker than he appeared, however, and the scythe struck downward just as Kenshin swung up; the steel screamed as the two weapons struck each other. Kenshin danced backward on light feet, feinted and swung to the other side, only to be met once again by the other man's weapon. _His weight counteracts the weight of the scythe_, he observed as he jumped out of the way just in time to miss a swing. _Such a large weapon would be slow in the hands of a smaller man; he understands this and has adjusted his attacks accordingly_.

Forward and backward, side to side Kenshin flitted, his eyes watching the movements of his enemy with single minded determination. He varied the range of his arc in accordance to Kenshin's proximity; despite the redhead's speed, Daichi was not easily caught off guard.

In a gust of wind Kenshin sprang high into the air, aiming his sword downward. He was falling fast, and in the last moments before connecting his eyes went wide as the scythe swung upwards and caught him in the side. The tip of the blade bit into the flesh just above his hip and he was flung downward, crashing onto the ground.

The blood ran down his leg; the pain blossomed in his chest. He grit his teeth and leapt to his feet, the air near his ear whizzing as a killing blow landed in the spot he had just occupied.

Kenshin's amber eyes narrowed in anger. He dropped low into a crouch, unconsciously regulating his breathing for the attack.

For the first time since his arrival, Daichi spoke.

"You're too late, Battousai," He taunted in a deep baritone, "Nobu has taken her far from this place by now."

"Nobu?" He managed to retort, "Is that the name of the man who took Kaoru?"

The monster of a man nodded.

"Nobu will pay with his life," Kenshin spat

Daichi laughed.

"I will not let you leave here, Battousai."

"You won't be around to care."

Kenshin threw himself forward, pushing his body despite the pain. _Faster; I must go faster!_ He watched the swinging blade, his eyes following its movements easily. He counted the number or arcs it made as he flew forward, waiting for the one swing that would extend the scythe away from Daichi's body and leave him open.

He angled left, toward the butt end of the weapon and, _there_! The bigger man switched the direction of his swing and swept the blade to the left; in the instant that it took him to switch, Kenshin dodged right and brought his sword smashing into the broad expanse of his torso.

Daichi was flung backward, his scythe flailing wildly through the air is it was thrown away from him. Kenshin watched in satisfaction as he collided with the ground; the faint sound of his ribs cracking almost made him smile.

Like a beast on the prowl, Kenshin stalked toward the attacker. The smell of his blood as it oozed from his side only pushed him onward; he felt no pain, no hesitation, only boiling rage.

"The master was right," The broken man sputtered, "You are amazing, Battousai! Such speed!"

"Is Nobu your master?" Kenshin demanded as he came to stand next to him

"Nobu is only the messenger," Daichi responded, spitting out a mouth of blood

"Who is your master? Who is responsible for taking Kaoru?"

Daichi laughed, the sound wheezy and broken. The rage that boiled inside Kenshin lit his veins at the sound, and he flipped his blade over in response.

"I will find her," He growled

"He is counting on that."

The response caught him off guard. Glittering, ferocious amber eyes bore into the other man's face as Kenshin stared at him, the words pounding across his mind. The man responsible for all of this _wanted_ Kenshin to come after her? This was not a ploy against Kaoru at all; this was someone's way of getting to Kenshin.

"Your master should have just come after me," Kenshin nearly yelled, "Kaoru is innocent!"

"No one is innocent."

"She has no part in this!" Another voice answered

Sano was rapidly approaching them, holding the hand that Masaru had smashed with his mace to his chest.

"She chose this when she chose to be yours, Battousai. She brought this upon herself."

"Kaoru is not mine," He hissed

Another strangled laugh from the fallen man that lay at Kenshin's feet. His breathing was labored and Kenshin could hear him fighting for the air in his lungs.

"Not yours, eh? Funny, I could have sworn it was your name she was screaming as she was dragged away. What a shame, to think of all that she will endure for you, and you won't even claim her."

_…Your name she was screaming as she was dragged away …_

_…To think of all that she will endure for you …_

A howl of rage tore from his throat and he brandished his sword with a flurry. His eyes filled with the vision of crimson blood that would flow from this man's chest as Kenshin ripped it open; he would leave a trail of bodies in his wake, starting with this man.

Sano's rock hard fist slammed into his cheek, knocking him sideways and away from his target. Caught off guard, he stumbled several steps away and slammed the tip of his sword into the ground to keep from falling. He turned murderous eyes to his friend, whose face was set and grim.

"I won't let you kill him, Kenshin," He vowed evenly

"Sano, step away from him." Kenshin's voice was hollow and menacing.

"Do you think Jou-chan would forgive you for this? Do you think if she were here she'd let you kill him?"

Sano's words halted Kenshin's forward movement. He cocked his head to the side slightly as a memory whispered its way into the forefront of his thoughts. Kaoru, bathed in silvery moonlight as he held her up with one arm, Jin-eh on the ground behind him. _Don't go back to being the hitokiri_, she'd begged, blue eyes round and pleading. He had been ready to kill Jin-eh then, had flipped his blade over to deliver the killing blow; the only thing that stopped him was the sound of her screaming his name. She had saved him from himself even then … but she was not here …

_…You won't even claim her …_

The hand of his that held the sword twitched in response to the battle that raged within him. The newly awakened Battousai screamed for blood; the wanderer repeated his oath never to kill. The two sides of himself warred with each other as he stood there looking at Sano.

_Sano._

_Yahiko._

_Kaoru._

His _family_. The people who he'd shared the last year of his life with; the people who'd been there for him in the fight with Shishio. The people who'd followed him all the way to Kyoto, even though he hadn't even given them the decency of a goodbye. They were counting on him, and somewhere out there Kaoru was waiting for him.

A small, almost imperceptible nod in Sano's direction. The ex-fighter for hire felt the muscles in his face go lax at the acknowledgement. For several long moments he had truly thought he was going to have fight Kenshin, a feat that was nearly impossible even when he was only a wanderer.

Kenshin sheathed his sword with a soft click and made his way back to Daichi, whose eyes were drooping as he fought the black of unconsciousness.

"What is the name of your master?" He demanded again

"We will break her," Daichi murmured to no one in particular, "She will be shattered and defeated, and he will go mad."

Sano felt Kenshin tense next to him. He felt his fists clench as he thought of Kaoru's smiling face and bright eyes, then took a deep breath and pushed the picture from his mind.

"Who said that?" Sano prodded

The big man's breath became more ragged as he gave in to a blank sleep. His last words before passing out were spoken so softly, and yet they screamed in Kenshin's ear.

"I have failed you, Master. Enishi …"

Kenshin's heart exploded out of his chest; the world twisted and spun wildly off its axis. His amber eyes widened in shock; his heart skidded to a sickening stop. He was frozen, his body rendered immobile. Three words rolled and collided through his mind like ships lost at sea.

_Tomoe._

_Enishi._

_**Kaoru.**_

* * *

Halfway across the city, a tall, white haired man stood grinning to himself.

Behind him, Nobu was smoking another cigarette.

Outside the window, the sun was just beginning to peak above the mountains. The sounds of Tokyo as it came alive with people just barely wafted up to their second floor room, but Enishi did not hear them. In his mind, he was picturing the look on Battousai's face as he watched Nobu drag his woman away. How perfect it must have been!

"Tell me again, Nobu," He instructed, maliciousness coloring his tone, "Tell me again how he reacted. Was he angry?"

"Never have I seen a man more angry," The misshapen man responded, "It was as you said it would be, Savior."

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" Enishi snapped

"My apologies, Sir."

Enishi glowered at his loyal right hand man. Although he supposed he was responsible for saving the other man's life, he had not done it out of compassion. Nobu had been born to a mother with a broken mind, who beat him repeatedly with anything she could get her hands on. She was the reason nearly all of his teeth were missing, and the reason his back and half of his neck and face were covered in angry purple scars. Enishi had happened upon Nobu and his mother one winter in China; he'd killed his mother for the food she was carrying. He had been about to deal the same fate to the then almost teenaged Nobu when the boy had looked at him with almost happy eyes and very plainly thanked him.

Such a strange reaction had caught him off guard. When he'd asked him, Nobu had merely replied that he had saved him from his horrible mother, and that he would never tell anyone. Then, he'd asked him to teach him the art of swordsmanship.

Now, almost five years later, Nobu was his most trusted accomplice.

"Where is the woman now?" Enishi asked, shaking off the memories

"Downstairs."

"Did she fight?"

"She tried, but she is a petite woman, and no match for a trained swordsman."

A curt nod was all he got in response. Enishi took a seat in the only chair in the room, the only piece of furniture in the room save for the small desk it sat behind. He propped his elbows on the desk, threaded his fingers together and then dropped his chin onto his fists. In the silence, Nobu ground out his cigarette and then reached for another.

"Another thing, Sir," He said between puffs, "Daichi and Masaru have not yet returned."

"If everything went as well as you say, Nobu, I don't expect they will."

Enishi's voice was low and icy, not even the slightest hint of regret for the loss of his men coloring his tone. Nobu almost smiled; the man he called master was unfeeling, calculating and positively brilliant. Yukishiro Enishi was a man worthy of his worship.

"You know what to do; we begin tonight."

_I will destroy everything you love, Battousai_, he vowed, _just as you destroyed everything I loved_.

_The end has come._

* * *

Kaoru's head throbbed painfully as she fought to open her eyes.

Her vision swimming, she blinked several times to bring her surroundings into relief. She pressed a hand to the temple where she had been struck; when she pulled it away and looked at it she was not surprised to see blood.

The room she was in had no windows; the only light emanated from a small candle burning near the door. Slowly, her body protesting the movement, she pulled herself to her feet. Her muscles ached, and the place where the sword had cut her neck stung. She tried to take a step forward and nearly cried out when her ankle gave out beneath her; she collapsed once more to the floor.

She turned her attention to the injured limb. The area around her left ankle was swollen and a livid purple; the pain in her head had temporarily shielded her from the pain of her ankle. She tried to ascertain whether or not it was broken, but it was hard to gauge. The fact that it would not bear her weight seemed to suggest that it was, but there was no break in the skin.

_Why does this always happen to us?_ She asked herself. She tried not to think about the sound of Kenshin's voice as he had screamed her name, or the look in his eyes when he had seen that she was caught. His eyes had not been the deep violet of the wanderer, but the molten yellow of the Battousai. Kaoru shivered at the memory, but not out of fear. She was ashamed to admit that, to her, he had looked fierce and powerful and absolutely magnificent.

Such a strange reaction to the appearance of the side of Kenshin that was responsible for the death of so many men. She could see why the Battousai struck such fear into people's hearts, yet she did not share that fear. Whether he was Kenshin or Battousai, he had changed, and she knew the truth. No matter how hard the battle, or how badly he desired to, Kenshin would not kill. In that respect, the wanderer would never relent to the Battousai.

_Besides,_ she told herself, _Sano and Yahiko are there with him._

She felt a twinge as she thought of her student. He had gotten a few good swings in on her attacker, but in the end he had been unable to stop him. Fear gripped her heart at the thought that Nobu might have killed him when he struck, and she prayed fervently that he was okay.

She shook her head to chase away the thoughts. She couldn't let the fear win; she had to figure out where she was and why they had taken her. Above all else, she had to figure out how she was going to get out of here.

Thus, her (most likely) broken ankle only irritated her all the more. She steeled herself; whether it was a broken ankle or a broken leg, she would find someway to make it back to Kenshin.

She shivered. Her eyes went wide in realization, and she glanced down at herself in horror.

Kaoru was still clothed in only her loose fitting night yukata.

The garment was still pulled closed and tied tightly, but she felt naked. The skin just below her neck was exposed, although it was marred with the blood from her neck. Some of her hair had fallen out of her braid and now hung loosely around her face; she was in a veritable state of disarray.

Footsteps alerted her to the arrival of a visitor. Trying not to blush at the idea of being so intimately clad, she schooled her expression into one of proud determination.

The door on the opposite side of the room slid open to reveal her captor. He grinned down at her, and the sight of his nearly rotted teeth disgusted her. She refused to acknowledge his presence.

"You are awake, my pet," He purred, stepping towards her

"I am no one's pet," She said in a firm and even tone

The man laughed.

"Such pride," He clucked, "But I would expect no less from Battousai's woman."

She nearly jumped. Battousai's woman? She wasn't even Kenshin's woman, much less Battousai's.

"Should I introduce myself?" The man continued, "It only seems polite, seeing as how we're going to be spending a lot more time together."

"I don't care what your name is," She retorted

"Now, now, pet, that's no way to behave. I am called Nobu; and you are?"

She made no reply, only glared at him from her spot against the wall.

"Do not make me force it from you, little girl," Nobu threatened, his face suddenly menacing, "You will not like it."

Ignoring the fear that she felt spread in her stomach, Kaoru kept her silence.

Nobu crossed the room in two steps and grabbed her roughly by the chin, pulling her face up roughly to look at his. She stared defiantly into his eyes, fighting to ignore the unsightly scars that covered half of his face.

A loud and echoing_ thwack_ permeated the room as he brought his hand swiftly against her cheek in a slap. Her eyes watered, but she bit the inside of her mouth and fought them back.

"Your name," He hissed

"Kamiya."

"Your first name," He specified

When she did not answer immediately he slapped her again, harder.

"Kaoru," She breathed

She tried not to think about how it felt like a betrayal to Kenshin to give this man her name. She tried not to think about how her first name sounded as it fell from his lips, or his warm breath on her face as he leaned into her.

"Kaoru," Nobu repeated, releasing her chin with a jerking motion, "Much better."

She wanted to cry, but steeled her resolve instead. She had to be strong, she had to bear this. She refused to let them see her fear; she refused to give them something else to use against her.

"There is someone who is very interested in meeting you, Kaoru," Nobu continued, his tone as relaxed as if they were old friends, "But I can tell that you are not yet ready. Defiance will not be tolerated by the master; we must break you of this habit."

His words made the fear dance and churn in her stomach._ I have to be strong_, she told herself, _I have to be strong for my family. I have to be strong for Kenshin_. She was trapped here, with no way of even knowing where here was. No matter what they did, no matter how they tried, she could not break.

"We begin now."

The words sliced through her thoughts, and seconds later Nobu was once again by her side. He pulled her roughly to her feet, and this time she couldn't fight back the cry that fell from her lips when the weight landed on her ankle. The man did not respond to her cry; he merely tightened his grip on her arm and dragged her out of the room.

Every step they took made tears spring to her eyes. The pain in her ankle shot up her leg in spikes of ice, again and again until it was all she could do to remember to breathe. Down a long hallway he dragged her, never making a sound. She tried to focus on memorizing the path, but the pain was biting and fierce and threatening to overwhelm her.

The hallway they were in ended in a fork; Nobu dragged her left, and then the tears could not be stopped as a staircase came into view. He dragged her up the stairs, pulling her along fasted than she could go. The hot tears traced paths down her cheeks and rolled off her chin to land where they would on the floor.

Such blinding pain, such quiet cruelty ….

She thought of Kenshin, of the way he always smelled of crisp pine and deep musk. She thought of Sano's smile when he called her Jou-chan and she yelled at him. She thought of Yahiko's determined expression as he practiced his sword strokes. She thought of her family, of anything and everything that might keep the pain at bay.

"We are here."

She raised her head without realizing that she had ever let it drop. The room they had come to stand in was large and brightly lit by many lights. She blinked several times, the light seeming so much brighter after being in her dark room. Her gaze wandered to the middle of the room and her breath hitched in her throat.

Two very long, very large chains hung down at forty five degree angles from the ceiling. The ends of each chain were attached to thick leather straps lined with sharpened spikes of steel. Two matching chains sprouted from the floor, each ending in the same spiked cuff.

The horror spread through her blood like a wildfire. Her wide, wet blue eyes could only stare at the chains.

Nobu began to drag her forward and she forgot all about her ankle. She began to writhe in his grasp, trying desperately to break away as he lead her toward the chains. The terror was so acute that she couldn't even cry; she could only stare and struggle.

"Now, now, Kaoru," Nobu said as he tightened his grip and continued forward, "I told you that the master will not tolerate defiance. This is for your own good."

She wanted to scream at him, to tear and claw at his already deformed face, but his hold on her was so tight … she could not break away. She was trapped; each step they took towards the center of the room only froze her voice in her throat. Black words, stark against a white paper resurfaced in her thoughts then.

**_Hers will be a fate worse than death._**

This … this was what they had meant. Fear and torture at the hands of wicked, deranged men for reasons she wasn't even aware of.

The chains were upon her. The hand of Nobu's that was not holding onto her snaked out and grabbed the cuff by the leather, pulling it toward them.

"Kamiya Kaoru," Nobu said in a clear voice full of authority, "This is the punishment for defiance."

The spikes tore through her skin as the cuff was slapped onto her wrist. She could feel the blood race down her arms as Nobu tightened the leather; one by one her other arm and both legs were cuffed at the ankles and wrists. She was standing, both arms hanging limply above her head, chained and bleeding in an otherwise empty room.

The black cloud of unconscious swam at the edge of her vision, and she was torn between giving in and staying awake. She wanted to ignore the pain and be strong, but it was all she could feel.

She tried to picture Kenshin's face, but the pain washed the picture away before she was even sure she had seen it. She could hear Nobu speaking, but it was as if they were separated by a great chasm; she could not make out his words.

The last thing Kaoru was aware of before unconsciousness overcame her was the sticky warmth of her own blood running down her limbs.

* * *

**_Secondary AN: The four little lines at the beginning of each chapter are mine unless otherwise noted. Also, I got this idea while reading the manga. I couldn't help it; Enishi makes such a good villain because his reasons are so dark! I just had to exercise artistic license and play with it a little ... let me know what you think._**


	4. Defiance and Despair

**_Author's Note: I'm so sorry that this update took like eight decades to post! I could talk about how crazy things have been and all that whatnot, but I'm not going to. I just hope ya'll are still out there, and that you'll forgive me! I promise, the next installment won't take nearly as long. Anyway, thank you for all the reviews - they keep me going! Without further ado, here's chapter four! Let me know what you all think._**

* * *

**_Chapter Four:_**

_an arsenal's worth of unspoken words  
and emotions I forgot to feel  
now they besiege my fortress  
angry with injustice;  
_

Megumi's expression was one of stone as she wrapped a bandage around Kenshin's waist. Her hands moved deftly, with little encouragement from her mind. The doctor's attention was not fully focused on Kenshin's wound anyway; rather, her thoughts darted between so many points of contention that she simply could not focus on one.

Kaoru had been taken. Yahiko had suffered only a slight concussion; many of the bones in Sano's left wrist had been broken to the point of nearly being shattered. As for Kenshin, well … he had been the receiver of a few scrapes and cuts, the worst of which was the one on his side. Megumi had also had to re-bandage the hand that he'd cut on the glass; he had ripped open the still fresh wound in his fighting.

None of these things were entirely responsible for her continued silence. Sadly, she had seen her friends in worse condition, with the exception of her favorite wanderer. The change in him had been apparent as soon as she had seen him: cold, angry amber eyes had replaced the wide violet ones she had become accustomed to. The muscles and tendons in his body now seemed to be strung together by an intense fury that burned inward and radiated out. He sat perfectly still before her, staring straight ahead as she attended to his wounds. Not once did she feel him flinch beneath her fingers; not once did he even make an attempt at speech.

Resisting the urge to sigh to herself, Megumi fastened the bandage to itself and began to gather her equipment. The sound of Kenshin's voice, taut but level, stilled her movements.

"Thank you, Megumi - dono."

She could not stifle a sigh.

"You're welcome, Kenshin."

Kenshin pulled his gi back into place just as Sano's rooster head appeared in the doorway of the room. His wrist bandaged, a tight scowl on his face, he very nearly stormed into the room. He nodded a hello to the doctor, then focused his gaze on his short friend.

"How are we going to find her?" He demanded

"Follow the trail," The swordsman answered simply, rising from the floor

"The trail?" Sano repeated, crossing his arms and then hissing in pain when he hit his damaged hand, "What trail?"

"You heard that man. Enishi wants me to come for Kaoru. He's waiting for me."

"You're not going alone," Sano said in a hard voice

"How are you going to be of any help with your hand the way it is?" Megumi interjected

"I'm better with my right hand anyway," He answered nonchalantly

Megumi wanted to argue, but held her tongue. Normally she would not have thought twice about giving the two men a verbal lashing for their apparent lack of self preservation, but this was different. This was Kaoru, kidnapped and in danger. She could not discourage Kenshin and Sano from trying to find her; rather, she would help them any way she could, even if it was only by bandaging their wounds. Her motherly chiding could wait until after they brought Kaoru home.

She glanced from Sano to Kenshin, and then back again. Between the two men, they would bring Kaoru home; Megumi only hoped they would be bringing her home alive.

"Do you have any idea where to find them?" She asked then

"No."

Kenshin's answer was simple and quick. Whatever desperation he may have felt at the knowledge that they had already hit a road block so early in their plan was well hidden and did not show in his expression.

"What's the plan, Kenshin?" The other man questioned, "Where is this trail?"

"Enishi is smart. He would have prepared for the event that his men would die - search the bodies. He must have left a clue somewhere."

Megumi stayed silent, but she could feel the disgust roll in her stomach. What kind of man sent his fellow human beings out with the intention that they would be killed? Who was this person, so hell bent on revenge and death?

"You'll stay here and look after the kid, Fox Lady?" Sano queried as he made for the door

"Of course," She answered, her eyes following Kenshin as he made his way toward the bodies in the courtyard, "And, Sano?"

The ex - fighter for hire stopped and raised an eyebrow at her to signal that he was listening.

"Watch him," She said softly, motioning to the redhead

"You know I will."

Sano leapt down the stairs and headed for Kenshin, the soft scuffling of Megumi's footsteps dying away as she retreated into the dojo. Kenshin was crouched next to the bigger man, amber eyes roving the man's fallen body.

"Check the folds of his clothes," Sano suggested, "Maybe he left a letter."

"A letter?" Kenshin repeated, blinking at the simplicity of the idea

"Why not? That's how he's communicated with you so far, right?"

That idea had not occurred to Kenshin, but it made sense. He had assumed that Enishi would leave only a single clue, in a place that would take him some searching to find. The longer it took Kenshin to find the clue, the more time Enishi would have to do whatever it was he was planning to do to Kaoru.

He reached into the folds of the man's gi and rummaged around for the span of several seconds; he was almost surprised when his hand closed around the thin edges of a piece of paper. Clenching his teeth in anticipation, he all but ripped the note from the man's body. Only one corner of the paper had been smudged with blood; the rest was untainted, and perfectly legible.

Sano closed in, perching himself to read the offending message over his friend's shoulder. Unlike the others before it, this message was more than a single line of text.

_I truly hope your skill is undiminished, Battousai, and that you find this little note. By now, you should know exactly who I am, so I won't waste time with introductions. Your Kaoru is a beautiful specimen - much like another young woman we used to know, ne? I have her with me now, on a small island just off the coast. I've even given you directions to get here, Battousai - I hope you make it in time. _

The ex-hitokiri crushed the paper with an inward curling of his hand; he counted his breaths as he stared straight ahead.

"We need those directions," Sano said quietly from behind him

"I memorized them." His voice sounded hollow, even to him.

"Let's go then," Sano urged, "We're on a time limit."

Quiet and deadly, Kenshin made his way on silent feet toward the dojo gate. His sakabatou was tied securely at his hip, and Sano was only a foot or so ahead of him; the directions were burning trails through his mind. There were no other preparations to make - there was nothing else to be done. His mind was focused on only one thing now: rescuing Kaoru.

_Nothing will get in my way, _he vowed silently, _I will get you back, Kaoru. Even if I have to leave a trail of bodies in my wake._

* * *

For the span of several moments, all Enishi could do was stare.

From a distance, the resemblance was not hard to see. Right now, in such close proximity, the resemblance was striking enough to nearly steal his breath. Her eyes were closed, long black hair working loose of the braid and spilling over her shoulders. Blood loss made her skin at least a full shade paler than it was originally. This girl, this Kaoru, reminded him of Tomoe enough for it to cause him pain. That knowledge aggravated him to no end, and the next instant he had hardened his heart again. Battousai was going to pay for what he'd done, even if that meant the death of another innocent woman. One innocent life, taken in payment for another.

"She's alive?" He asked, emotionless

"Yes," Nobu answered, "She's only unconscious."

"How long has she been in the chains?"

"Almost a full twelve hours," Came the reply

Enishi made no response, choosing instead to take stock of the woman before him. Dried blood caked the porcelain skin of her arms and legs; from the look of the small puddles below her on the floor, the spikes had cut her deeply. She had suffered no small amount of blood loss - they had to be careful now. She could not be allowed to bleed out and die before his plans could come to their culmination. That was not an acceptable outcome.

"Get her down," Enishi said icily, "Tend to her wounds. Do whatever you have to do to keep her alive."

"Yes, sir," Nobu acknowledged

The other man moved to release the young woman from her restraints. Enishi remained where he was, watching wordlessly as his minion unfastened her ankles, then moved to her wrists. Not once did the woman stir; Nobu propped her unconscious form against himself until she was free of the chains.

A black mood had stolen over the mastermind by then; Enishi felt vengeful, worse than he had felt in days. He was so close to the end, so close to avenging the wrong that had shaped his adult life!

He watched Nobu lift the petite woman, and was left staring at the place they had occupied for several minutes after they had disappeared from sight.

* * *

Kaoru ached.

At first, she could think of nothing else. As she woke and became more aware of herself, the pain was nearly overpowering. Her wrists and ankles burned and throbbed unbearably, clouding her thoughts.

She opened watery blue eyes and blinked several times. When her vision finally cleared, she found herself staring at the ceiling. For a moment she wished that the pain had clouded her awareness, so that for even just a few seconds she could delude herself into thinking she was somewhere else. That was not the case, however, and there was no way to trick herself into thinking she was safe back at the dojo. Her mind was sluggish, and the memories were slow in returning, but she remembered the devilish men and the hellish chains they had bound her in. A wave of desperation assaulted her then, and she held her breath with the force of it. _Kenshin, where are you?!_ She silently cried. A tear slid from the corner of her eye; as if on cue, her stubborn determination reared its feisty head again. She forced her feelings aside, redirected her thoughts and focused on the immediate situation.

Very slowly, Kaoru pulled herself into a sitting position. Her blood pounded in her ears, and her head felt as though it were ready to explode; she took several deep breaths, and then took stock of her injuries. Bandages glared at her from where they had been wrapped around her wrists and ankles; although the material was still mostly white, she could see patches of red where she was starting to bleed through. The bandages had been wrapped several times, creating a thick barrier around her wounds; the fact that the blood was starting to seep through the layers made a shiver run up her spine. _That's a lot of blood to lose, _Kaoru thought to herself. She ignored the implications and continued to survey herself. Had there been any doubt in her mind before that her left ankle was broken, it had now been erased. She could tell just by looking at it that the bone was close to breaking skin; the man - Nobu, his name was - had forced her to walk on it, no doubt the final act that broke it. Although the area just above her ankle had been bandaged where the spikes had bit her, she noticed that her ankle had been left alone.

_They want to keep me alive to torture me, _Kaoru realized then, _they're doing this to punish Kenshin. _The thought made her stomach churn; the cruelty and madness of these men was almost unbelievable. She steeled her resolve again: no matter what they did or how they tried, Kaoru could not break. She would not give them what they wanted. She had to find a way out of this, as quickly as she could.

Either because she was lost in her own mutinous thoughts, or because the blood loss was slowing her reflexes, she did not hear the footsteps that signaled another person's approach; only when the door slid open to reveal the hideously deformed face of Nobu did she notice his arrival, and she visibly jumped.

"I'm glad to see you awake, my pet," Nobu greeted, grinning his nearly toothless grin

"I'm not your pet," Kaoru spat out, but her voice sounded whisper soft

"We must cure you of that pride," He said with a shake of his head

Nobu crossed the distance between them in just two strides, and Kaoru held her breath as he kneeled down next to her. Without a word, the man grabbed her arms and pulled them toward himself, forcing her to extend them. Sore muscles screamed in protest; a small whimper of pain squeaked from her throat of its own accord. Nobu made no acknowledgement of the sound, only continued to stare at her bandages.

"So much blood," He muttered to himself, "Do you always bleed so easily?"

"No, but I've never been bound and stabbed with metal spikes before," She hissed, narrowing her eyes at him

Nobu actually laughed at that, but the sound seemed as strange and twisted as his face. Kaoru only averted her eyes and focused on counting silently to herself. She had only made it to fifteen when she felt the pressure around her right wrist begin to lessen. She turned her attention back to the man, and found that he was unwinding the bandage. Fresh strips of cloth were sitting next to him on the floor, and although she had not thought to question his reason for visiting before, it was now apparent that he was here to change her bandages.

With an almost morbid fascination, Kaoru watched the bloodied cloth fall away from her ivory wrists. She sucked in a breath with an audible gasp when the last of it was pulled up: the dried blood had caked the bandage to her skin, and it was not without pain that it was now separated. When she saw the damage underneath, the evidence that the spikes had left on her skin, she very nearly vomited on the man in front of her. The spikes had left not gashes, but actual holes in her skin, spaced an even half an inch or so apart. Her wrists were small; she counted only five holes all together, but the effect was sickening. Dark, dried blood caked her skin, looking almost black where it had congealed in the open holes. Fresh blood, brighter red in color, had started to push its way to the surface; her arms and wrists were a myriad of red and black, swirling and meshing together in a grotesque picture.

"It's too much," Nobu said to himself again, "You're losing too much blood, and too quickly. The master will not be pleased. I do not think you will survive the second round, my pet."

Kaoru would have blanched, if only she'd had enough blood left in her body to do so. Second round? They were going to put her through it all again? Every iota of her being rebelled at the thought - already her blood was boiling with adrenaline from the fear. The doubt began to eat at her then; she was broken and bloodied, weak and powerless. Even if she had been in perfect physical condition, the odds of her getting away from these men were not in her favor. Now , she had a broken ankle, and she was slowly bleeding out. There was no way out - she was going to die here, at the hands of these monsters.

Her mind filled with pictures of her friends' faces, memories of each of them flitting across the open blankness of her mind. She was never going to see any of them again. The tears were collecting behind her eyes, the thickness of them closing her throat. Even now, in the face of her impending doom, Kaoru fought them back. She could hear perfectly Megumi's voice, telling her to quit crying because she was going to have to be strong for Kenshin, and she held onto that thought. _Kenshin._ She would hold it together for him; if she had to go, then she would go in a way that would make him proud. Kaoru Kamiya was going to die with her head held high, her wide blue eyes open and clear, and her heart as full of love for her family as it had ever been. There was nothing else she could give them now.


	5. Souls on Fire

**_Author's Note: Alright, it didn't take me centuries to post the next update! Yay me! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far. Also, I know that I haven't revealed how long Kaoru has been gone yet, but I will. For now just keep in mind that she's been there awhile, and those spikes go through the major arteries and veins in the wrist. I'm not totally evil though - Kenshin is on his way!_**

* * *

**_Chapter Five:_**

_half dead soldiers that defend my heart  
begging for me to save them;  
but their pleas are hollow and meaningless  
against the larger demon that holds me in its teeth.  
_

Kenshin's grip tightened on the hilt of his sakabatou. Angry amber eyes, narrowed into a menacing glare, surveyed the few people milling around on the docks. The first traces of sunlight were only now beginning to lighten the sky, bringing with it the early risers. The ex-hitokiri was not interested, however; the rurouni side of him was only trying to keep his mind occupied, so that his inner Battousai would not take over. He was fighting a losing battle - Battousai was ready to start cutting his way to that island. They had already lost a full day to travel, although Kenshin had set a blistering pace on their mad dash to the sea.

A few feet ahead of him, Kenshin could hear Sano negotiating with an elderly fisherman for the use of his boat. The man was being stubborn, more than likely trying to get Sano to up the price he was offering. Sano, of course, was only getting frustrated with the other man's stalling. The redhead was trying not to just un-sheath his sword and threaten the old man; the desire got stronger as he watched the sun on its climb higher into the sky above them. They could not afford to lose any more time than they already had. Enishi had not specified how much time they had, but he had been sure to point out that they were on a time limit.

The thought of Enishi, the man who had kidnapped Kaoru and could be doing literally anything to her at that very moment, made the rage boil in his veins. There was no more time to waste - Kenshin was getting to that island, now. Kaoru was waiting for him.

Without a word, Kenshin strode directly past Sano and the other man, who immediately stopped arguing as he swept past. The redhead didn't so much as look at them - he headed straight for the small boat they were arguing over.

"Hey!" The older man shouted, "That's my boat!"

"We're taking it," Kenshin responded coldly, "Now either take the money Sano is offering you, or go home empty handed. It's up to you - either way, we're leaving."

Sano could tell from the hard line of his friend's jaw and the dangerous way his eyes were glittering that he meant business.

"Just take the money," Sano urged, pressing it into the other man's hand, "I promise I'll do my best to bring your boat back in one piece."

Sano brushed past the man and hopped into the small boat where his friend was waiting. The taller man had barely made it all the way in when his companion loosed the tether and grabbed the oars. Sano glanced around for another pair, but Kenshin had the only set.

"How far is the island?" Sano queried, gazing out at the blank ocean

"Far enough," Was the terse reply

"Why do you think he just told us where she is? Why didn't he drag it out a little?"

"He wants me to find her," Kenshin muttered angrily, "He knows I'll come after her, and that's what he wants. Kaoru was just the bait - he wants me."

Sano fell silent as he thought about Kenshin's answer. Their nemesis obviously had something planned for them when they got there, some kind of horrible surprise. There was no way he would go through all the trouble of kidnapping Kaoru, sending assassins to distract Kenshin, and then blatantly telling them where to find her without having some sort of ulterior motive. Odds were that they were rushing headlong into some sort of trap or ambush; at any rate, it didn't really matter. There was no stopping Kenshin from rescuing Kaoru, and nothing would have made Sano try. He wanted Jou-chan back just as badly as his friend did.

* * *

Nobu stared at the puddles of dried blood that had collected beneath the currently empty chains. He was aware of the Master's presence behind him, but he had yet to task him with anything. For once, Nobu was perfectly content to wait for the Master to acknowledge him first.

The disfigured man was well aware of the other man's anxiety over their little pet. The displeasure had shown clearly on Enishi's face as his second in command had informed him of the delicate health of Battousai's woman. The chains had served their purpose well - perhaps a little too well. Enishi had been very exact in his planning, and Nobu himself had made sure that every detail was in conformity with the Master's wishes. Each length of chain and each spike had been cut and fashioned perfectly, by some of the best metal smith's in Asia. Not one step had been rushed, not one process had been skipped. The meticulous planning and generous time table had ensured that everything came together perfectly.

Now, his malicious but analytical mind running over every step of the process, Nobu was able to see with perfect clarity their single mistake. The only thing neither he nor the Master had taken into account; the one thing that was now on the verge of ruining all their planning and work. They had failed to factor in the petite stature of their intended target. Battousai's woman was tiny, a mere slip of a woman really, especially when compared to the sheer size of their contraption. A single strand of chain was nearly as thick as her entire body; the spiked cuffs nearly hid her tiny hands completely.

"Is that doubt I see on your face, Nobu?"

The Master's voice was icy and clipped, drawing Nobu quickly from his thoughts.

"I have never doubted you, Master," Nobu said honestly

"Good," Enishi responded, but it sounded threatening, "Now tell me what you have spent the last few minutes thinking about."

"I think I may have a solution to our problem, Sir."

"Let's hear it then," The other man prodded, his eyes coming to rest on the bloodied ground

"Fasten the chains higher, Sir," Nobu said simply, "So that they bite into the fattier areas. It'll buy us more time, although not much."

"That is a genius idea, Nobu," Enishi praised, smirking, "You have proven your use to me yet again."

"I am pleased to hear it, Sir."

"As for time, do not concern yourself with such matters."

"But, Sir, what if he does not come? What if he does not make it in time?"

"Oh, he'll come, Nobu. Even if he didn't love her, he would come; he can't help himself. In fact, I'm willing to bet that he's very nearly here already."

Enishi nearly grinned to himself as he thought of his enemy's imminent arrival. _What a surprise I have for you, Battousai!_ he crowed inwardly, _wait until you see your woman! We have broken her body, and soon her mind and spirit will follow. She will return to you utterly dominated and defeated … revenge has never tasted so sweet!_

* * *

Kaoru felt light headed and weak, but she was ready. The hours that had passed since Nobu had changed her bandages had been spent in quiet contemplation. At first, she had refused to accept this as the end; over and over again she'd tried to plan her escape, tried to find some way for her to break free despite her physical limitations. Finally, she had forced herself to accept the truth: escape was impossible.

Afterwards, her thoughts were directed inward in retrospect. She followed her memories all the way back to her father, and the hours they'd spent happily training together. She recalled the deep, boisterous sound of his laughter, and the way he used to pick her up and set her on his knee when he had something important to say. From there, she'd simply given her thoughts and memories free reign. She felt the bitter pang of regret as she came to terms with all the things she wished she had done and said, especially when it came to her favorite redhead. All the chances they'd missed, all the opportunities they'd squandered for whatever reason. When that train of thought became to painful for her, she simply changed course.

Without realizing it, she'd begun to make a list of all the things she wished she could see just one more time. The top of the list, of course, was reserved for the people she loved; after that, it ranged from the blazing sun over an azure ocean, to the fireflies that lit up the night in the springtime. She filled the hours that she'd been waiting imagining what was beyond the walls of the horrid prison in which she was kept, wondering if she was even still in the city. She had quit asking herself why Kenshin had not come for her, or Sano at least, but she could not deny the logic behind it. She must have been taken out of the city, to some safe house that they couldn't find. How could her friends come for her if they had no idea where she was?

Kaoru let a tired sigh escape her lips. She shifted uncomfortably in her spot propped against the wall. Both legs were extended out before her, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She had a perfect view of the door and each of the four corners of her small room. Her inner stores of energy had been badly drained with the effort it took for her to practically drag herself to this spot; she didn't have enough energy to move now even if she wanted to. The blood loss was taking its toll, and although it had slowed, it had not stopped. She felt exhausted in every sense of the word; the longer she sat there, the harder she had to fight to simply keep her eyes open.

All the time she had spent hoping and praying that Kenshin would find her, that he would break down the door any moment to save her, and now she wished for the very opposite. She fervently hoped that her friends would never find her, that they would never see her as she was now. Better that they never know what came of her, than for them to witness with their own eyes the way she had been tortured and broken. Their memories of her should be happy ones, filled with laughter and spirit. That was the true Kaoru, not the woman who now sat merely waiting to die.

The sound of footsteps rang too loudly in her ears, almost locking out the dull throb of her heartbeat entirely. She closed tired eyes against the sound and took a breath, tasting the stagnant air that hung around her. Slowly, very slowly, she opened cerulean eyes and her gaze came to rest on a man she did not recognize. He was tall, if the way he was towering over her was any indication, and although it was hard to see in the semi-darkness of the room, his hair looked nearly white.

"I am impressed to find you alive, little Kaoru," The man said, his voice cold and cruel, "Although I should have expected no less from Battousai's woman."

The man crouched down before her, and even with her slowed mental faculties she caught the widening of his eyes in surprise. She was accustomed to the looks she got when people realized her eyes were as blue as the ocean, and something inside of her felt satisfied to see that this man's reaction was no different.

"How … remarkable. Alike in so many ways, and yet so very different."

A thought buzzed somewhere at the back of her mind, but she didn't have the concentration to pull it forward. Something he had said raised a red flag in her consciousness, but her head felt so disconnected and fuzzy. Sleep was beckoning her now, and she felt so tired …

"Forgive my manners, little Kaoru," The man said with a twisted grin, "My name is Enishi. I am the man responsible for bringing you here."

Kaoru licked dry, cracked lips and hoped she was still capable of speech.

"Why?" She croaked

"Many years ago, Battousai took away the one thing that mattered most to me in the world. I am simply going to repay the favor."

The thought that had been buzzing in her mind was now practically screaming. She forced the sleepiness away and focused her energy on bringing the thought to the forefront of her mind. Words scurried across the canvas of her consciousness:_ Battousai … Enishi … Battousai … years ago …_

"Tomoe," She breathed finally, "You're Tomoe's brother."

Merciless eyes sparked at the utterance of the other woman's name. Anger twisted the smooth planes of Enishi's face, but Kaoru did not react.

"How dare he speak of her!" Enishi raged

"He … loved her," Kaoru countered

Enishi was practically yelling at her, but his voice sounded as if he were hundreds of miles away. She could not make out the words he was saying; even if she could, she was almost certain that she could no longer respond. Her mouth felt dry, her tongue thick and swollen.

A strong, rough hand clamped painfully around her upper arm, shocking her into coherency. Enishi had grabbed her and was hauling her to her feet beside him. Lightning rods of agony shot up her leg and through her body as some of her weight tried to rest on her broken ankle. She tried to cry out, but the only sound she made was a whimper. He was dragging her out of the room then, long fingers digging into the tender flesh on the back of her arm. Down the hall he dragged her, the same route that Nobu had led her down before. Beside her, Enishi continued to rant and voice his outrage, but she was not listening. Kaoru knew what was waiting for her at the end of this painful march: those hideous chains, and undoubtedly the end of her life.

Her heart felt as though it was going to explode out of her chest at any moment. Every nerve ending came alive - every sensation that had been dulled was suddenly burning her with its intensity. Everything in her rebelled at the thought of death, at the very thought of all the things she would never get to experience. No matter how unlikely the odds, no matter how impossible the situation seemed, she would not stop trying. Kaoru was not accustomed to giving up when the odds were stacked against her, and now as not the time to start. Terrified and desperate, Kaoru began to fight.

With all the weight and force she could muster, she pulled back and away from her captor's grip. The resistance was not as forceful as she'd hoped, but it was enough to get Enishi's attention. His little diatribe cut off mid-sentence, and he turned menacing, glittering eyes on her.

"What are you doing?" He queried, "You are in no shape to run."

She made no reply, only pulled back harder. His iron fingers gripped her arm tighter, and he pulled her to him angrily. She collided with the hard wall that was his torso as he crushed her to him, hatred glaring from his violet eyes. His platinum hair sticking straight up, pale face twisted into a snarl, Kaoru's mind flashed on a picture of a feral tiger on the hunt. This man was an animal; if there was any humanity left in him, he had it held tightly under lock and key.

"Kenshin loved your sister!" Kaoru exclaimed, the words falling readily out of her mouth, "He never would have tortured her as you have me!"

"He murdered her," Enishi hissed

"It was a mistake. He's spent every day since trying to atone for his past, trying to make amends for what happened."

"None of that will bring her back."

"Neither will torturing me - or killing him."

He did not answer. His brutal grip was starting to cut the blood flow to her arm, causing it to tingle. He started down the hall again, pulling her along harshly. Her tired mind shifted into overdrive as the stairs came into view - she didn't have much time left.

"Do not fight me," He grumbled as they made their way to the stairs and began their ascent, "You are going to die here, little Kaoru."

"Do you think Tomoe would want this?" She challenged, her voice breaking as the chains came into view, "Do you think she would be proud of what you've done?"

"I think she would have wanted to live. Nobu!"

He shouted the last word, and seconds later the scarred man was making his way toward them from across the room. The very sight of him made her begin to tremble, and she cursed her body for betraying her fear. Enishi's thin fingers released their vice like grip on her arm and she could feel the warmth return to the limb as blood flooded the starved veins. She had no time to enjoy the sensation, however, because Nobu was beside her then. His touch, although gentler than Enishi's, was a thousand times more frightening. Her trembling worsened, and salty tears stung at the back of her eyes. She tried to back away from him, but her movements were blocked by Enishi, who had not moved.

"There is some consolation for you, at least," Enishi's voice taunted her, "With all the blood you've already lost, I don't imagine you'll survive for long."

She felt frozen. Her legs would not move, no matter how vehemently she commanded them to. Her body merely trembled, and was unresponsive.

Nobu half guided, half pulled her to the chains. She was crying now, the tears leaving wet hot trials down her cheeks. The sound of metal clanging against metal made her breath hitch in her throat; she closed her eyes and held herself completely still, preparing herself.

The first cuff was clamped around her lower calf; the blood oozed around the spikes and slid off her skin and onto the floor in ribbons of crimson. She bit her lip against the scream rising in her throat, and managed to hold it as her other leg was shackled. She began to mentally recite kendo patterns in an attempt to block out the pain, but she felt as if she were drowning. Her body had reached its limit and was being pushed farther; her senses were choking under a litany of pain.

The last cuff was fastened: the spikes dug in and the edges of her vision blurred. Agony flooded her nerve endings; the last traces of self control fled from her as swiftly as the blood that was leaving her body.

High pitched and wild, the scream that tore from her throat was the last sound Kaoru heard.


	6. The Dragon Lays Claim

**_Author's Note: The moment we've all been waiting for! Kenshin's arrival! Actually though, I'm not very fond of this chapter. I can't really say why though ... I debated for a long time over whether or not to have Kenshin kill Enishi .... let me know what you all think. _**

* * *

**_Chapter Six:_**

_plead and beg, I can't hear  
it's all to no avail  
nothing, no one, can set you free  
forever my demon_

Kenshin's body swayed lightly as the bottom of the boat scraped along the sandy shore. Sano, who had taken over the rowing some time ago, pulled the oars into the boat. Without a word, Kenshin rose and stepped out and onto the beach. Soft sand gave way beneath his feet; gentle waves _whooshed_ gently as they swept in around his ankles. The island was perfectly quiet: he couldn't even hear the squawk of a bird.

The sun had already began its descent and was casting the world in an orange glow. Assassins eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the tree line and every rocky outcrop, analyzing what areas would hide an ambush with the most ease.

"This island could be huge," Sano murmured, coming to stand beside him, "How are we supposed to find them?"

Kenshin did not respond immediately. He continued to survey their surroundings, silently ticking off every possible trail leading into the trees. Whatever path Enishi had been using would surely show signs of the most use; the dying sunlight and thick underbrush was going to make it harder for him to find it, however, and they'd already lost too much time.

"Kenshin."

Golden eyes swiveled away from the foliage and onto his friend. Sano's attention was fixed on a point several yards away from them, where the tree line rounded a corner and faded from sight.

"Do you see that?" Sano asked, still quiet

The last rays of sunlight were directly in front of them, the glaring amber hues distorting his normally perfect vision. Several seconds passed where Kenshin saw nothing out of the ordinary; he forced himself to remain patient and still. He was rewarded just seconds later when he saw tendrils of smoke billowing upwards from what appeared to be a break in the trees.

"I think he's sent us an escort," Kenshin said tightly

Not waiting for a reply, the redhead laid one hand on the hilt of his sakabatou and started forward. Sano made no protest, merely fell into step beside him. Although they were putting no great effort into being stealthy, the sand absorbed any sound from their footsteps. A warm breeze picked up then, pulling the scent of the smoke and the fire towards them. Beside him, Kenshin's taut muscles seemed to tighten and quiver in preparation, a minute detail that Sano may have missed if he hadn't been so alert.

A trailhead appeared almost out of nowhere. They had almost made it to the bend in the trees when the trail became visible, underbrush and branches from smaller plants all bent out and away. It looked wide enough to allow two to three people to walk shoulder to shoulder, and well trodden.

Kenshin had to fight the urge to take off at top speed. His nerves tingled with adrenaline and anticipation; tightly coiled and ready to spring, he started down the path. _She can't be much farther,_ he told himself, _we're almost there._

Down the trail they wandered. The smoke was straight ahead of them now, the cloud growing larger as they got closer. The walk seemed to take forever in Kenshin's mind, but before he knew it the trees around them were breaking into a small clearing. Kenshin's gaze swept the area quickly; almost directly across from them, the single trail that had brought them here forked into two separate trails. Both showed signs of recent use. His eyes slid away from the paths and came to rest on the man seated calmly in the center of the clearing, tending to the fire. Jagged purple scars and mottled skin pulled away from thin lips as the man who'd taken Kaoru smiled up at him.

"How nice to see you again, Battousai," Nobu greeted in his oily voice

The fading rays of burgundy sunlight glinted off the blade of his sakabatou as he held it before him, poised and pointed at the other man. A small narrowing of Nobu's eyes told Kenshin that the other man had not caught the smooth, quick movement as he'd pulled it from the sheath.

"Where is she?" He growled

"I'll take you to her, of course," Nobu said evenly, tilting his head to one side, "That is why I'm here, after all."

All three men remained exactly as they were, however, surveying each other from across the gap that spanned between them.

Nobu rose fluidly to his feet, kicking sand over the fire to smother it as he did so. Kenshin's eyes followed his movements, hands never releasing their grip on his sword.

"You may as well put that away, Battousai," Nobu said, "If you kill me, you'll never find her."

Kenshin weighed his options, and didn't like the outcome: he had already lost too much time in getting here. He couldn't afford to kill their guide now and waste more time trying to find where they were keeping her. The rage clawed at his insides with talons of cold iron; the battle he'd been fighting since the moment they'd taken Kaoru was over in the span of a heartbeat. A beast flared up inside him then, and as he slid his sword back into its sheath the rurouni side of him tucked itself into a distant corner of his soul.

"Come along then," Nobu beckoned

The scarred man turned away and started down the path that forked to the left, not checking to see if his guests were following. Kenshin stayed a fair distance behind him, but close enough that a single jump would overtake him.

"I almost thought you weren't coming, Battousai," their guide said conversationally, "As it is, you may already be too late."

Kenshin's jaw twitched; beside him, Sano shook his head with the barest movement.

"He's goading you, Kenshin," His friend whispered

"I know," Kenshin murmured

Out of the corner of his eye, the redhead quickly assessed his friend's presence. Sano was quiet, but far from calm. His expression revealed nothing, but his brown eyes were sparking with fire. The rooster head was alert, tense, and ready for a fight.

Night had settled in around them. The moon was high and full above them, bathing everything in its steady silvery glow. Kenshin's eagle eyes darted to and fro every few seconds, cataloging everything he saw around them. He made note of their path, where it turned or bent and how it wound its way through the trees.

"It's getting brighter," Sano remarked quietly

Kenshin turned his focus back to their guide, but he showed no signs of hesitation or doubt. The air around them was becoming lighter, and a quick glance up told him that the moon had not changed its position in the sky.

Without warning, the foliage around them fell away. The clearing they stepped into was so shocking that Kenshin very nearly faltered a step; only his years as a hitokiri kept him steady. Sano, however, had no such training to fall back on. He missed a step, and barely kept from tripping.

The clearing they were now standing in was at least triple the size of the one they'd found Nobu in, and in the exact center stood a lone two story building. His analytical mind took only seconds to record all the details: no windows on the first floor, but at least one on the second, and a single door on the far left of the side they were facing. A building built for the defensive, rather than the offensive.

The lighting was the true masterpiece. Some of the largest mirrors Kenshin had ever seen were placed in tactical spots around the clearing, equidistant from each other and pointing toward each other. The mirrors caught the rays of moonlight and reflected them onto each other, effectively bathing the house and the clearing in an unearthly bright glow. He could only imagine the surely blinding effect that was produced under sunlight.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Nobu nearly sneered, "The Master is truly a genius."

"Where is she?" Kenshin snarled

"Inside, of course," Was the easy response, "She's been waiting for you."

_She's been waiting for you, _his mind repeated, and the rage boiled.

"There's the door," Nobu continued, "Once you're inside, just go down the hall and up the stairs."

"And where will you be?" Kenshin queried, glaring at the man

"Out here," He said simply, but there was a menacing glint in his hardened eyes, "This is between you and the Master."

"Sano," The redhead started

"Three steps ahead of you," His friend cut him off, "I'll stay out here. Just in case you get any ideas."

The last sentence was directed at Nobu, who merely arched an eyebrow and shrugged. Kenshin took a step toward the door, but stopped when he heard Sano say his name. He glanced back at his friend, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"She'd never forgive you, ya know," He said calmly, "If you killed him."

The surprise Kenshin felt at Sano's bold statement was nothing compared to the shock that followed his next statement.

"Kaoru wouldn't either."

Although his friends knew of Tomoe and their past together, it was not a subject that they ever approached. The topic was very close to Kenshin's heart, and the few times it had been brought up he was the one to do so. Therefore, Sano's warning was not offensive, but so surprising that it was almost a shock.

Even now, with the anger poisoning his body and the hitokiri within him begging for blood, the gentler side of Kenshin caught the concern his friend was expressing. Sano would never use Tomoe against him, and he wasn't now; he was merely reminding him.

Unable to think of a response, Kenshin merely nodded and started once more for the door.

Sano's warning floated to the back of his mind as he pulled the door open; his senses were in overdrive now.

The hallway that the door opened into was dimly lit and deserted. A lone candle sat on the floor in the middle of they hall, the only light he could see. The moonlight filtered in from the door behind him, which he left open. Slowly, cautiously, Kenshin started down the hall. Everything was eerily silent; not even his footsteps made noise.

When he was directly beside the candle, Kenshin paused and glanced back toward the door. The little light emitted from the candle would not reach down the hall - if the door was closed, it would be too dark to see that it was there.

He continued forward. The farther down the hall he progressed, the more suspicious he became. Not only was the place deserted, but there were no rooms in the hallway …

As soon as the thought had come to him, a shoji door seemed to materialize out of the darkness on his right. The door stood almost completely open, and the small room inside was lit by a single candle. He would have continued walking if his eyes hadn't picked out an especially dark spot on the floor not far from the candle.

He did not need to enter the room to know that the spot was blood; he could smell the metallic tang of it that clung to the air. He did not need to step inside the room and see the bloody bandages discarded so carelessly in the corner, but he did anyway. The blood, the lone candle, the room … the implications, the very sight of it all made the beast within him roar. They had isolated, disoriented and injured her, and it enraged him.

All caution disregarded, Kenshin burst from the small room and back into the hallway. Predatorily and deadly, he nearly charged down the still darkened corridor. He covered the remaining stretch in mere seconds; the staircase loomed before him, the outline barely visible.

With a deep breath, Kenshin started upward. The farther he rose, the lighter it became. He could see the last stair, just a few steps ahead, and the first sounds whispered in his ears. His senses perked, nerve endings practically sparking with electric energy, but he did not slow.

Even his years of training could not prepare him for the sight that greeted him when he reached that last stair. His resolve, his mask of emotionless self control was no match for what he saw.

There were only three windows, but the mirrors outside had been placed strategically so that the light shone directly into them, illuminating the room perfectly. The entire floor was one huge and open space, empty - save for one thing.

Obviously meant to be a grotesque masterpiece of fear and pain, two each chains sprung from the floor and ceiling. Suspended by those chains, her head hanging, ebony hair falling around her face, was an immobile Kaoru.

Kenshin shattered. Every promise he had made to himself, to his friends to never kill again lay around his feet in shattered, miniscule pieces. He could smell the blood from where he stood, _her_ blood, and his muscles tensed as he prepared to spill the blood of another.

"Enishi!" Battousai roared

His voice resonated off the walls and bounced back to him, but his heart skipped a beat when he saw that there was no response from Kaoru. She did not raise her head; not one muscle even twitched.

"So good to see you again, Battousai," came the echo of an earlier statement

Enishi pushed himself off the wall at the opposite end of the room. Hands in his pockets, he made his way to where Kaoru was bound with nonchalance.

He was older, and taller, but Battousai recognized the face of the man before him. The line of the jaw, the curvature of the nose, it all whispered her name: _Tomoe._ The expression was cruel, the malicious glint in the eyes alien, but he was undoubtedly her brother.

The brother of his dead wife, and, therefore, his brother as well.

Two feral beasts, bound together by their love for a woman that they could never get back.

"You kept us waiting," Enishi said disdainfully, "I think she may have finally given up on you."

Battousai growled and took several steps toward the other man, who did not move.

"Kaoru does not give up," he snarled

"She is quite the fighter, our little Kaoru."

"She's not _ours_," Battousai spat out the word, "She's _**mine.**_"

One of Enishi's white eyebrows arched, but he made no reply.

"So possessive, Battousai …"

Quick and unexpected, Enishi's hand snaked out and collided with Kaoru's cheek in a loud slap.

"Don't touch her!" Battousai bellowed, crouching to strike

Enishi grabbed her small chin roughly, raising her head. Battousai opened his mouth to roar, but the sound died in his throat when he saw Kaoru's azure eyes flutter open. Glassy and unfocused, her gaze was fixed on a spot just in front of her. Kenshin couldn't be sure if she was actually seeing anything, but at least he knew she wasn't dead.

"Someone is here to see you, little Kaoru," Enishi said in a taunting voice

"Don't … don't … call me that," her gossamer voice breathed through cracked lips

The sound of her voice, so weak and utterly different from the one he remembered, clawed at his heart. The time it had taken him to get to her, the days that she had spent captive showed clearly on her face and body.

_You took too long,_ a menacing voice taunted in his head, _they have broken her._

He shoved the thought away.

"Kaoru?" He called to her

His voice seemed to stir something within her. Her blue eyes lifted from the floor and settled on him, but her face remained expressionless.

"Kaoru," He said again, firmly

Her eyes seemed to clear then, the glassy look fading away as she stared at him. Several seconds passed in silence, and then her eyes widened in something between disbelief and wonder.

"Kenshin?" She managed to breathe out

His throat was too thick to manage a reply, but he nodded almost imperceptibly. The movement was all the encouragement she needed; she tried to move, but the spikes tore at her and she cried out.

"Stop," Kenshin commanded, his voice steeled against the pain he felt, "Don't move."

"He came for you after all," Enishi sneered at her then, "Although I dare say he may be too late. You're half dead by now."

Kenshin growled and dropped into a crouch once more, one hand on the hilt of his sakabatou. The sight seemed to please Enishi, because he smiled at the redhead.

"I have waited years for this, Battousai," he began, "I have spent all of my time and money planning everything out. What do you think? Pretty genius, isn't it?"

"Genius is not the word that comes to mind," Kenshin responded, "Where are your men?"

"Nobu is the only one here, save for myself of course. This is private: no one comes to my island unless I tell them to."

"Why are you doing this, Enishi? This is not what Tomoe would want."

"Do not speak her name!" The other man raged, losing his cool for the first time, "You have no right!"

"She was my wife," Battousai replied simply

"You murdered her!"

"It was an accident. Your sister would never approve of what you have to done to Kaoru."

"This is the price you pay," The other man ranted, livid, "One innocent life, taken in payment for another."

"It doesn't work like that, Enishi. What do you think Tomoe would have wanted you to do?"

"She would have wanted to live, but you took that away from her!"

The taller man lunged at him suddenly, and despite his formidable size he was actually rather quick. Battousai slid easily to the side just as Enishi extended his arm to strike; Battousai struck his wrist with the reverse blade of his now exposed sakabatou. The sound resonated as the steel struck bone, and Enishi gasped in pain.

The battle was on. Enishi ignored his wrist and spun toward his opponent, kicking as he did so. The ex-assassin dodged the limb, but was caught off guard by the punch that occurred almost simultaneously. Enishi's iron fist collided with ribs, knocking the air from his lungs.

Their movements were a flurry of motion as they danced and circled around each other. All the anger and pain and helplessness that had been locked within Kenshin erupted as he watched his attacker: this man was responsible for kidnapping and torturing his woman.

Almost without consciously deciding to do so, Kenshin flipped his blade over. When Enishi feinted toward him to punch, Kenshin lunged forward instead of away and caught him across the bicep. Fresh blood sprayed from the wound, and the beast within Battousai crowed at the sight. This man would pay for what he had done; he would was Kaoru's blood away with the blood of her captor.

The smell of the blood seemed to give each man a renewed vigor. Their attacks came faster, their hits connected more surely than before.

Enishi landed a kick to the ribs he'd already punched, and blood erupted from Battousai's mouth. Back and forth they went, until the floor was flecked and speckled with their blood.

They seemed to be at a standstill, until Enishi made the fatal mistake. In a headlong rush, his eyes left the spot on Battousai's torso he'd intended to hit and flashed instead to his face; the split second distraction was all his opponent needed. At the last instant, Battousai stepped to the left and caught Enishi across the back with his blade. The blunt force of the blow dropped the larger man to his knees, where he stayed, panting.

Kenshin's blade was arcing downward in a killing blow of its own accord. The end of Enishi's life was at hand - it would be over before he'd taken another breath.

Long, loaded seconds passed. Unaware that he had closed them, Enishi opened his eyes. Kenshin loomed before him, bloody and breathless, sword hanging but ready at his side.

"What are you doing?" Enishi demanded, "Finish it!"

"It is finished," was the tired answer, "I will not kill you."

Enishi's eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at the creature before him, unsure of whether he was man or beast. After everything that Enishi had done, this man was still not going to take his life?

"I have wronged you, Enishi," Kenshin said softly, sadly, "I took something away from you that I can never give back. I am truly sorry. But I loved Tomoe, and I have spent every day since her death trying to atone for my past. Even now, when the monster within me is begging for the end of your life, I will not break my vow: _I will not kill._"

Part of Enishi willed himself to stand up and strangle the life out of the man in front of him, but something held him back. Who was this man that would not kill the man responsible for torturing - and likely killing - the person closest to him? Surely he was no murderer, no heartless and cruel angel of death as Enishi had thought. What inner fire burned so brightly within him that it could not be extinguished by rage and hatred?

_It is love, little brother, _Tomoe's voice echoed in his head. The sound, lost to him for so many years, made him jump in its clarity.

"Love?" He murmured

_Love,_ her voice came again, _love for me, and for Kaoru … and for you._

"Have I been wrong all this time, sister?"

The implications were crushing in their weight, and the tears burned with shame as they fell.

"What have I done?" He asked of no one

_You have much to atone for, little brother, _Tomoe told him, _you have lived your life shamefully until now. But you are my brother, and I love you._

"Tomoe!" Enishi cried

Kenshin could feel the woman's presence all around them, and the ghostly smell of white plum tickled his nose.

"Tomoe," he whispered, a lone tear falling, "I'm so sorry."

A coolness brushed his cheek, the gossamer imitation of a touch that warmed his heart.

"Come, brother," Kenshin said calmly, extending a hand

"Leave me," Enishi hissed, head in his hands

Kenshin obliged. The anger that had been eating at him was subdued, although he could feel the warmth of it radiating in his stomach. A part of him continued to demand Enishi's life, but he was finding it easier to ignore. Kaoru was his only concern now.

He sheathed his sakabatou and ran to her. She was no longer conscious; he was thankful that she would not feel anything. Bracing her against his shoulder, he released the cuffs slowly and one at a time. The site of her bloodied arms and the deep, open wounds made the anger threaten to break over him again, but he bit his lip against it.

The last cuff fell away. He swept her carefully into his arms, noting the pallid color of her skin. He refused to let himself think about how long she'd been hanging there.

"We're going home, Kaoru," he whispered, although he was sure she couldn't hear

Kenshin cast one last glance at the fallen man on the floor, who had not moved. Although he was as much of a man as Kenshin himself, when he looked at Enishi he still saw the small boy he had remembered. The predator within Kenshin hoped he was not making a mistake in letting the other man live, but killing him was simply not an option.

The decision had been made. Kenshin's focus was now on the frail woman in his arms - he had to get her to Megumi as fast as he could.

Kenshin would never know the image he presented as he emerged from the blackened hallway into the preternatural moonlight, Kaoru clutched protectively to his chest. Hair the color of living flame, loose and framing glittering gold eyes, Sano would never forget the tight feeling in his chest as he watched the dragon emerge with his treasure.


	7. Into the Void

_**Author's Note: Wow, this update took so much longer than I meant it to! Between my last posted chapter and this one I have moved (a very large move, from one country to another), not that I am making any excuses for the ridiculously long time it took to post this. Anyway, thank you to everyone who has reviewed, alerted, and read this story. You guys are awesome! I apologize for how short this chapter is, but it's kind of a transitional one ... but that doesn't make it any less important to the story.**_

**_Spoilers: None_**

* * *

_**Chapter Seven:**_

Kaoru was warm.

She felt comfortable, and safe. The air smelled both musky and sweet, a strange but pleasant combination. She opened her eyes and blinked several times, unfamiliar with her surroundings. She sat up, unsure of how she had come to be laying down in the first place, and glanced around. She was seated on a grassy knoll, the only one in the wide field that stretched as far as she could see. Everything was calm, and peaceful in a way that she couldn't explain.

The emerald color of the grass was in deep contrast to the blood red of the sky around her. A curious phenomenon, but she felt no fear or trepidation, only wonder.

_Where_ _am I?_ She wondered

_You are safe,_ a voice answered calmly.

She should have jumped at the sound, so unexpected in this place, but the voice sounded both familiar and gentle. She could not pinpoint where it had come from; the sound seemed to envelop her, to be everywhere all at once.

_Is this Heaven? Am I dead?_ She asked again

_Do you want to be?_ The voice responded

Kaoru pondered the question. She remembered the chains, with their biting spikes that tore through her skin, and was uncertain. Surely pain awaited her if she left this place, maybe even more cruelty at the hands of the men who had held her. She was tired, weary to her very core, and her body was undoubtedly well beyond its threshold for pain.

In stark contrast, this place was comfortable, and far from the reach of the people who wanted to harm her. Why shouldn't she stay here? Surely there was some reason to go back, but she couldn't think of one.

_Why can't I see you?_ Kaoru questioned instead

_Would you like to?_

_Yes._

The air around her seemed to shift and ripple. The scarlet color condensed and a dim outline was forming right before her eyes. A broad, smooth expanse that slowly gave way to giant, shimmering scales. She stared, awestruck, at the massive dragon that now perched in front of her. Although the beast was a perfect red color, when she tried to focus her eyes on any part of it she swore she could see the red shift into orange, and then yellow, and a myriad of other colors. The great, long neck arched downward and an elegant, angled head with two sharpened spiral horns came into view. The dragon blinked one crystal clear cerulean eye at her, and Kaoru got the impression she was being laughed at.

_Not what you were expecting?_

_You're huge!_ Kaoru replied

Again, the impression of laughter.

_Is this Heaven?_ Kaoru asked again

_Not exactly,_ the beast replied, _this place has no name. It has been called many things: the in between, the crossroads, the nothing. _

_Then I am dead,_ she said in a matter of fact tone.

_You are, if you choose to be._

_I have a choice?_

Again the great eye blinked at her, as if confused that she would even ask the question.

_I do not understand the question,_ the dragon answered.

_In that place, I am weak. My body is broken and my soul is tired. But here … I am alive, and whole again. What choice do I have?_

_Your body was ready to give up long ago, that is true. You are badly injured, but your wounds will heal. You are not weak, little one. You are fierce: you have the heart and spirit of a great warrior. You held on because you chose to, because you refused to give up._

_I do not feel fierce, _Kaoru said meekly.

_The strong never do._

The dragon's answer reassured her, even gave her hope that she truly could be fierce. Even still, she could not think of a reason to return to that place when she could stay here.

_Why are you here?_ Kaoru asked then, as the strangeness of the creature's appearance appealed to her, _are you some sort of messenger, or guardian maybe?_

_In a sense,_ the being replied evasively, _what I am is not important. I am here to help you choose._

_Okay, then help me. Do I stay here, or go back?_

_What do you want to do?_

Kaoru actually frowned at the reply. She wanted to point out that the response was not at all helpful, but she had a feeling that the dragon was well aware of that fact.

Something was tugging at her, like an impatient child that pulled at her sleeves to get her attention. She could not place what it was, or why she was suddenly aware of the way it bothered her, but it was becoming increasingly incessant. She glanced around herself in a useless gesture, already knowing that she was alone with the dragon.

"Kaoru?"

This time she did jump at the noise. Her name had been spoken aloud, in a voice that was intensely familiar. The creature before her did not stir, or show any sign of having heard the voice, which only assured Kaoru that the voice had come from some unseen third party.

"Kaoru, I know you can hear me," the voice came again, "At least, I hope you can. We really need you to come back to us, okay? Nothing is the same without you …"

A memory floated somewhere at the edge of her consciousness; a name danced on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't recall either. Both were important to her in some way, she could feel it in the strange tightening sensation she felt in her chest as she tried to remember, but still she could not grasp why.

"… we barely recognize him anymore," the voice continued, having never stopped, "Are you listening, Busu?"

_Busu_ … the word rang out crystal clear in her mind, with all the force and resonance of a war drum. The memory she couldn't grasp assaulted her with its presence, and the name fell easily from her lips.

"Yahiko?" She murmured

She remembered the young boy, small body tense and chocolate eyes fierce as he stood in front of her, bokken raised and pointed at a man she couldn't see. He had tried to protect her from those men, he had tried to shield her from them …

"Yahiko?" She said again, more clearly

_He can't hear you_, the dragon finally said.

_Why not?_

_Because you are in the in between, the land of nothing. The living can not reach this place._

"…Kenshin is like an animal, Kaoru," Yahiko continued to whisper, "He doesn't sleep, and Megumi has to threaten him to make him eat. He just prowls around, or sits in the corner of your room and waits. He's getting better though: when he first brought you back, he wouldn't leave your room. Every time your door opened he'd draw his sword. Megumi almost had a heart attack the first time he did it."

_You said I wasn't dead, _Kaoru said to the dragon then, almost accusingly.

_I said you were, if you chose to be, _the dragon replied placidly.

_But that doesn't make any sense!_ Kaoru challenged

The dragon made no reply, either not caring or not sensing the slight frustration coloring the young girl's tone. Kaoru listened more intently, but Yahiko's voice seemed to have disappeared. She was alone with the dragon once again. Her thoughts raced over what little she'd heard, and her mind seized on one word, a name that seemed to bring with it a stinging sensation in her chest: _Kenshin._ How had she forgotten about him, her wanderer, her protector and friend and …

Her mind, which had been pleasantly blank and calm only moments before, was suddenly bursting with images and memories of her friends and their life together. She thought of all of them, but mostly of Kenshin. There, at the edges of her memory, she could vaguely remember her last glimpse of him as he'd been only a few feet away from her, those last agonizing moments in the chains. He had come for her; it had taken so long, and she'd very nearly lost all hope, but he'd been there, so close that she had seen the amber glint of his assassin's eyes.

"She's getting worse," A very soft voice said then, and she recognized Megumi, "Her wounds are deep, and she lost so much blood, Kenshin …"

Kaoru felt the first vestiges of panic coil tightly in the pit of her stomach - was it already too late? Time did not exist in this place, in this nothingness; was it possible that she had taken too long to decide? What if her chance to return was gone, and the decision had been made for her?

_Have I taken too long? _She asked the dragon then, _Is it too late to choose?_

The angular head tilted towards her slightly, the one beautiful eye blinking at her slowly.

_Time is a foolish human notion, _it replied by way of a cryptic answer.

_Answer me!_ Kaoru half demanded, half pleaded in sudden desperation, _is it too late?_

_It's never too late, little one_.

_Then I want to go back. Do not keep me here any longer, I beg you! Send me back to my family._

_It was never I that was keeping you here, Kaoru. _

The deep tones of russet began to ripple then, and the long emerald blades of grass around her legs began to sway as if taken up by a sudden breeze, but Kaoru felt nothing. The dragon's outline wavered and started to fade: the color that was both red and not red, that was one color and all colors simultaneously was dissipating as she watched. The one great eye blinked at her a final time before vanishing all together, and the last thing she was aware of was a strange warmth flooding her body.


End file.
